CRAYKE must have thought that their hopes of lifting the division three crown had perished when they were dismissed for only 101 by Sheriff Hutton.

Mark Fenton was a lone ranger in making 35 as Shane Marshall (5-32) and Simon Thornton (5-59) shared the spoils.

However, events after the tea break enabled the home supporters to leave the game in a much better frame of mind after seeing Sheriff Hutton swept aside for 50 by the Hutchinson brothers, with Mark grabbing 5-23 and Paul 4-20.

Clifton Alliance batsman Matt Phillips tore the Harrogate attack to shreds as he cracked 158 runs off just 123 balls in a 124 minute innings which saw him strike 17 fours and five sixes.

The agony of the visiting bowlers was compounded by Jonathon Stevens with 58 and Simon Corley (40 no) when Clifton's innings ended on a monumental 303-4.

Richard Carroll then took 3-52 to help reduce Harrogate to 108-8 before impressive batting by two youngsters, Ned Hammond (31no) and Ned McClelland (44no) in an unbroken ninth-wicket stand of 77 which, although avoided defeat, could not prevent their side being relegated.