Harrogate CC 1st XI sink Beverley Town to record third win in four league outings

The Roosters won the toss and elected to field, their bowlers causing the home side all sorts of problems throughout the first half of Saturday’s fixture.

Wickets fell at regular intervals and the Beverley batsmen found scoring difficult as they put just 118 on the board in 40.5 overs before being dismissed.

Mat Pillans was the pick of the ‘Gate attack, claiming 3-17, while Jonny Macgregor wasn’t far behind him with 3-23.

The Harrogate batsmen didn’t have things all their own way when they set about knocking off the required runs, but they reached 119/5 in the 29th over, Arjun Ramkumar hitting 43.

That result leaves Will Bates’ men sixth in the table, in a far more comfortable position than struggling Sessay.

The Thirsk outfit remain second-from-bottom of the pile, but did move to within two points of safety thanks to a three-run triumph over Woodhouse Grange.

Diego Rosier top-scored once again, just missing out on a century as he struck a rapid 95 from only 76 balls in a first-innings total of 250/8.

Skipper Mark Jackson (34) and Joseph Watson (30) also chipped in for Sessay before their bowlers knocked over some early wickets.

Grange would however recover from 16/3 and went on to get within touching distance of their target, eventually being bowled out for 247 from the final ball of their innings.

Tim Hall, Liam Carver and Rosier all finished the afternoon with a trio of scalps to their name.

Having begun the season so strongly, Harrogate 2nds suffered a third consecutive Yorkshire Premier League North Championship West defeat when they came out on the wrong side of the closest of contests at home to local rivals Knaresborough.

Sanjay Mani (55), Cooper Smith (54), George Owram (41 not out) and Jordan Sleightholme (34) all impressed with the bat as the Roosters posted 245/8 from their 50 overs, Greg Pickles bagging four of the wickets to fall.

Pickles then produced the ultimate captain’s innings, opening up and carrying his bat as he smashed 164 not out from 163 deliveries to lead his troops to a dramatic final-ball victory.

Tashmial Henry also did his bit, making 48 as the visitors edged over the line at 255/5.

Saturday’s result sees Harrogate drop to seventh place, while Knaresborough climb up into fourth position.

Sandwiched between them in the Championship West standings are Studley Royal, who are unbeaten in five and registered a fourth success on the spin on the road at Carlton Towers.

Rob Nicholson was another skipper to lead by example, scoring 86 of his side’s 246/8, Billy Armistead adding 57 and Nicholas Cunningham 34.

Dan Craven and Cunningham both then grabbed three wickets apiece as Towers were dismissed on 200.

Thirsk recorded back-to-back wins as they upset high-flying Whitkirk and climbed out of the bottom two in the process.

Josh Crewe (87), Harry Collinson (62), Sam Holland (46) and Ben Crewe (35) were all in the runs as the away side racked up a hefty 298/7 from their 50 overs.

And that total proved beyond Whitkirk, Ben Crewe, Josh Neilson and Ben Collinson each affecting a pair of dismissals to help wrap up a comfortable 64-run victory.

In Division One West, Pannal boosted their survival hopes with a much-needed win in their bottom-of-the-table showdown with whipping boys Tadcaster Magnet.

The visitors put 282/6 on the board, Simon Collings unbeaten on 79 while Rob Smith hit 53.

Smith then completed a solid afternoon’s work by bagging 4-21 as Tadcaster fell 172 runs short in response, John Hunter finishing on 28 not out.

Bilton-in-Ainsty lost ground in the battle for second spot, dropping to fourth place when they were comprehensively beaten by Fairburn.

Johnny Cordingley and Philip Atkinson both made 37 in the away team’s 186 all out, but their hosts knocked off the required runs without losing even a single wicket.

Eighth-placed Sessay 2nds scraped to victory at South Milford, Lee Margerison claiming a fine 6-34 to help get rid of the home side for just 91.

The Thirsk outfit then limped to 92/8, Dom Atkinson dragging them over the line with an unbeaten 26.

Thorp Arch & Boston Spa scored a sizeable 295 all out at home to Easingwold, however that total was not sufficient to save them from an 87-run reverse.

Batting first, the visitors had romped to 382/6 in their 50 overs.