SESSAY were beaten by Beverley Town in Hunters ECB Yorkshire Premier League North on a day when elsewhere DLS was very much to the fore as rain brought an early end to play in the latest round of matches.

Connor Bowden set Beverley on their way to ten points for the first time since their promotion to the top flight, with figures of 5-22 – the best return by a Town bowler at this level.

Thomas Haytack also picked up 3-34 as Sessay were reduced to 27-5 before eventually been dismissed for 117.

Nick Harrison top scored with 43 and not even the inclusion of 29 extras could prevent the visitors recording their lowest top flight total.

The home side made an nervy start, losing early wickets – two of which went to Liam Carver. But an unbroken stand of 86 for the fourth wicket between Harry Gamble (44no) and Anthony Spence (46no) earned their side a seven-wicket win.

What should have been the pick of the day’s matches between third-placed Yorkshire Academy and league leaders Woodhouse Grange was one of two games abandoned, with insufficient overs having being bowled at Weetwood to obtain a result.

The home side had slumped to 58-5, Tom Neal (3-40) and Steve Burdett (2-56) both picking up two wickets in their opening spells.

And it needed a captain’s innings from James Wharton (85) to rescue things, the skipper adding 58 for the sixth wicket with Dominic Leech.

Wharton’s opposite number James Finch finished with three wickets, including both Leech and Joshua Sullivan (29), as the hosts were eventually bowled out for 193 with just one ball of the innings remaining.

Only 6.5 overs of the reply were possible which Andrew Bilton and Simon Tennant safely negotiated with the score having reached 33-0.

Dunnington remain second despite suffering a narrow defeat at North Marine Road where Sam Drury scored his fourth YLN century of the season.

The Scarborough skipper got the innings off to a flying start, taking just 36 balls to reach a half-century, before going on to bat through the innings and finishing unbeaten on 127.

The competition’s leading run scorer in 2019 shared a third wicket stand of 115 with Ben Elvidge who hit a quickfire 68 off just 60 balls.

Moin Ashraf (2-47) and Dave Brent (2-46) were the only wicket-takers as the home side closed on 248-4.

The visitors looked to have the required rate under control with Chris Pereath (76) at the crease. But when his dismissal by Matthew Pillans was quickly followed by another, from the Yorkshire seamer, just before the rain arrived. That tilted the balance marginally in favour of the home side to the tune of just six runs when play was called off.

Victory means Scarborough close the gap between them and the leaders to nine points but, with only ten points covering the top five, the title race remains wide open.

For the second time this season, Harrogate spinner Ishan Abeysekara (7-41) picked up seven wickets only to finish on the losing side.

The Sri Lankan picked up 7-40 earlier in the month against Sessay and carried on that excellent form at Low Catton Road against Stamford Bridge – Tom Geeson-Brown (3-49) picking up the other three wickets as the home side were bowled out for 221.

The total would have been considerably lower had it not been for Zac Keune’s (62) second 50 in three weeks and 90 from Ryan McKendry, the pair adding 135 for the third wicket and being two of only three ‘Bridge batsmen to reach double figures.

The visitors’ reply of 93-3 centred on a 58-run partnership between Josh Atkinson (31) and Ross Sedgley (30no) and had McKendry not picked up the wicket of Atkinson in the over before the rain arrived ‘Gate might not have left empty-handed.

Just as at Low Catton Road, the match at Moor Farm was settled by DLS.

But unlike Harrogate who just missed out Castleford did enough to take two points, Hamid Khan and Eitan Litvin each finishing 30 not out to secure two points which could yet prove crucial come the end of the season.

Earlier in the day a century from opener, and captain, Adam Fisher (101) paved the way for a total of 247-7 which included 35 from his younger brother Matthew and an unbeaten 37 from Karl Carver.

Castleford’s reply was twice interrupted by rain but the second-wicket pair held their concentration to close on 70-1.

In a season seemingly dominated so far by the rain, Yorkshire Academy have been worst affected with five of their ten matches having being lost to the weather

But Clifton Alliance and neighbours York are just one behind on four after the pair's derby meeting was abandoned with Alliance, the home side on this occasion, just in the ascendancy.

The visitors fought their way to 176-8 thanks in the main to partnerships worth 54 between Jack Leaning (25) and James Billington (43), and 67 between Nick James (43) and Charlie Elliot (37).

Matthew Montgomery (3-34) and Liam Green (3-26) were the pick of the bowlers with three wickets each. The home side had scored 57-1 from 17.4 overs when the rain arrived, leaving Greg Drewery stranded on 32 not out.