AUSTRALIAN all-rounder Dave Morgan starred with bat and ball as Malton & Old Malton registered a five-wicket win over bottom-placed Heworth in the Hunters York & District Senior League premier division.

Morgan followed his 4-40 with a round half-century to help Malton & Old Malton to a home victory.

Team support came from Greg How (4-49) with the ball and Neil Johnson, who made 41, with the bat. The only Heworth player to figure was Jamie Ulliott, who made 36 not out as his side totalled 150-9.

A productive unbroken spell of 21 overs by James Postill, which earned him 5-29, set up a comfortable home victory for second placed Clifton Alliance at the expense of Pickering.

Chris Nicholls made 29 for the visitors, who made reasonable progress to 55-2 before Postill joined forces with spinner Alex Renton (4-23) to send the Pikes skidding to 85 all out in 41.2 overs.

Clifton were then able to reach their target for the loss of three wickets in 33.4 overs, with James Packman, John Gilham and John Hunter all making scores in the 20s.

Champions Easingwold continued their improved form and are beginning to catch the leaders after winning with one ball to spare at Sessay.

Cousins Matthew Till (56) and Chris Till (38) helped Sessay to 170-4 in a game reduced to 40 overs, with Tom Kay making a supportive 31.

Dave Johnson struck back with 3-38, but satisfying knocks from Martin Piercy (42), Jonathon Marwood (44), Andrew Dawson (30) and Dan Copeland enabled Easingwold to edge home in a tense finale.

Sheriff Hutton Bridge all-rounder Mike Smith dominated the game at Acomb, where he virtually single-handedly earned his side an advantage draw in a low-scoring game.

Smith was the only batsman on either side to make an appreciable score, compiling 29 as Bridge struggled to 100-7 in the allocated overs. Dave Sykes posed problems with 3-31.

After the break, it was the turn of the Acomb batsmen to struggle as Smith produced figures of 5-22, which had the hosts hanging on for a draw at 72-8.

The eagerly anticipated clash between Dunnington and leaders Woodhouse Grange was aborted by the umpires after a Woodhouse batsman had been struck in the face. The start of the game was delayed until 4pm due to adverse ground conditions but was only able to progress for 11.2 overs during which time Grange had made 37-1 for the loss of Jon Bean for 16.

At this point, the umpires, wary of the requirements of "duty of care", called the game off for safety reasons and, in receiving only nine points for the draw, Woodhouse have seen their lead eroded to a mere four points.

The game involving two sides in the lower reaches of the division, Hull Zingari and Thirsk, was abandoned without a ball being bowled.