The runs flowed freely in the HPH York Vale Cricket League, a sure sign of the increasing quality of the grounds and batting talent the league attracts.

Chris Moores carried his bat for 132 as Bishopthorpe made 233-3 against Heworth in division one.

Graham Flint took up the challenge but when dismissed for 92, Heworth's innings lost momentum, the Bishops winning by 38 runs.

Wheldrake lie second after winning at Burn by eight wickets. Andy Watson top scored for Burn with 54 out of their 159-6, while Martin Lambert (37) and Anthony Carter (68no) added 87 for the second wicket as Wheldrake coasted home.

North Duffield pipped a determined British Sugar, winning by six wickets but with just nine balls to spare.

Askham Bryan/YPO opened their account by beating Westow by 42 runs, Rich Hollingsworth sealing their win with 6-34.

Sabir Khan thumped 132 with seven sixes and nine fours while Matty Clark added a maiden half-century as Hemingbrough amassed 272-4 at Copmanthorpe on their way to second place in division two.

John Hughes led the fightback with 75 but Cop ran out of steam.

Leaders Kelfield won at Thixendale as Martin Rhodes, Phil Smith and Neil Atkinson took them to 153.

An eighth-wicket partnership of 37 raised home hopes but Mick Richardson's 6-50 won the day for Kelfield.

Mike Pickering and Paul Thorpe shared eight wickets to bring Ovington's free scorers down to earth, restricting them to 139-8. Ally Lloyd (38no) and Pickering (37no) then had Clifton Alliance romping home in an unbeaten partnership of 71.

A lacklustre performance from Stillingfleet saw them slip to a heavy defeat against York, Tom Copeland (55) and John Sharpe (31) taking both the batting and bowling honours.

Stockton & Hopgrove were involved in another close finish but this time on the losing end. Chasing Ben Johnson's 134-7, they fell just three runs short despite a half-century from Jason Chinnion. Darren Snowden took four wickets and two catches.

Thorpe Willoughby maintained their 100 per cent points record when defeating Stockton & Hopgrove to lead division five.

Dave Watson (86) and half-centuries from Granville North and Kevin Rich took them to 244 which was way beyond the Villagers.

Hemingbrough demoralised Huntington by scoring 275-3, which included a first century for 14-year old Michael Smales and 111 for Mark Allitt in a whopping second-wicket partnership of 220.

Smales had the final word by taking the last wicket in his only over as the 'Brough won easily.

Three stumpings for P Downey were a feature of P Gilbert's 4-29 as Malton & Old Malton were dismissed for 128. Dave Coe (43) Richard Laver (29) and Phil Batt (29) eased Tadcaster Magnets home.