CLIFTON Alliance and Burn both enjoyed convincing home wins on the opening day of the 2019 HPH York Vale Cricket League season.

The weather played an unwelcome role, however, with seven fixtures washed out, leaving only those two division one games able to be completed.

After the loss of early wickets, Thixendale’s innings at Clifton never gathered momentum, with home bowler Lewis Clark claiming 6-31.

Despite Will Megginson (23), Jules Lawrence (16) and Edward Simpson (18) making starts, no Thixendale player was able to push on. Their innings closed on 112-9.

An opening partnership of 85 from Jason Gatus and Alex Williams (45 not out) laid the foundations for an eight-wicket Alliance victory with 20 overs to spare.

Burn secured a 71-run victory against Ovington, after posting a challenging 251-3.

A third-wicket partnership between Ed Clark (113 not out) and Harry Cruise (61 not out) dominated the innings for Burn, who declared after 35 overs.

Dom Everard (2-41) was the pick of the bowlers for Ovington, who were never in contention despite contributions from James Eckersley (26), James Harrod (36), Jimmy Taylor (32) and Charlie Buckley (25). Graham Robson claimed 4 wickets for Burn as Ovington were eventually bowled out for 180.

Hemingbrough also had a 71-run winning margin against a young Sessay side in division two.

Sessay took an early wicket before Hemingbrough opener Steve Watson (51) steadied the ship as his team went on to post a competitive 172-7.

In reply, Sessay’s batsmen were restricted by tight Hemingbrough bowling and eventually all dismissed for 101. Granville North (4-20) and 63-year-old Dave Cockerill (2-18) were the pick of the Hemingbrough bowlers.

Dunnington fielded nine under-18s for their 63-run victory over Clifton Alliance II.

Dunnington’s Harry Paver struck 49 from just 16 balls while James Crichton hit 39 from 28, before Paver fell in the seventh over with 82 on the board.

Steve Jackson (67) struck a 36-ball half-century and, although Clifton's young attack re-gained some control through Kier Brooks-Humphrey (2-34) and Alex Sykes (2-37), the home side posted 245-5.

Alliance’s reply started well with an opening partnership of 45 between Alan Barton (19) and Mick Wood (39) before Barton was run out. Ranadeep Banerjee (56) and Glynn Brooks-Humphrey (34) took the score to 161-2 before Ewan Davies had Brooks-Humphrey caught on the boundary and Banarjee was bowled by Harvey Jackson to turn the tables.

The spin bowling of U14 Jackson (5-21) and U15 Davies (3-33) then ran through the Clifton innings who fell short on 182 all out.

Wheldrake secured a wobbly two-wicket victory over eight-man Hirst Courtney.

With Max Hunter (2-34) leading the way for Wheldrake, Hirst were restricted to 148, led by Ben Copeland (66). The loss of Simon Rouse (21) sparked a Wheldrake collapse with Sam Dunn (4-43) in the wickets before Anthony Carter (66 not out) saw Wheldrake home.

Pocklington III cantered to a comfortable seven-wicket victory at Thorpe Willoughby, knocking off 113 with overs to spare.

In division three, Bolton Percy overcame Selby in a tense low-scoring affair, in which extras top scored for both sides.

Batting first, Selby struggled to 94-9, with Jonathon Green the pick of the Bolton Percy bowlers with four wickets.

The Bolton Percy reply fared little better with Selby’s Zac Buttle taking three top-order wickets before Alex Hornstat (3-5) chipped in to maintain the drama. Bolton Percy eventually got over the line to win by two wickets.

Burn II emulated their first team by posting over 250 in their 156-run victory at Heslington.

Vaughan Lindley’s unbeaten ton (105) took his side to 254-4, with Heslington’s U15 spinner Ben Desborough claiming three Burn wickets.

The standout performance was saved for the late evening sunshine when opening bowler Dan Robinson claimed nine Heslington wickets, his side winning comfortably by 156 runs.

Robinson's 9-34 on a flat track at Heslington also earns him the Press Player of the Week accolade.