THE battle for the two promotion places in division two has turned out to be a real humdinger.

With just one game to play, Ripon and Folkton & Flixton, are level on points while Scarborough II are just ten points away and both Sewerby and Bolton Percy are also in the hunt.

The top encounter saw leaders Bolton Percy entertain second-placed Ripon, with only one point splitting the sides. Bolton batted first and James Rigby made 55 but the course of the match was mapped out by Ripon all-rounder Mark Barber, who took 7-47 to dismiss the home side for 148.

Barber then produced perhaps the best all-round performance of the season when he hit an unbeaten 96 as he and Stuart Clark (28) ensured a nine-wicket win for Ripon, who went top and sent Bolton diving from first to fifth place in the table.

Having dropped out of the top two for the first time two weeks ago, Folkton & Flixton re-entered the promotion zone when they strolled to an eight-wicket win at relegated Wilberfoss.

Only Tony Nicholson (39) of the home batsmen made a mark as Wilberfoss were dismissed for 94. Gary Jones was the pick of the Flixton bowlers with 3-23 and then followed with an unbeaten 56 as his side won by eight-wickets to go level on points with the leaders.