Inter County Championships - Durham and Cleveland senior men's have gained promotion to the premier division following three victories in the division one promotion play-offs last weekend.

Wins against East Scotland, Notts and Ulster at Nunthorpe SC afforded a total of 51 points, six more than the county from the Midlands and put D and C back among the country's elite next season.

It is 17 years since the county was in the premier division. They had a continuous spell from 1983 to 1987 which included reaching the dizzy heights of fourth place in the 1984-85 season behind the likes of Yorkshire, Lancashire and Surrey, each a full professional team.

The current county squad was drawn from far and wide representing some six different clubs and covering ages between 17 and 38. County champion Gareth Lumsdon from Durham played at one with Manchester-based Teessider Yawar Abbas at two.

'Exiles' Mathew Thorpe and Ben Rickaby from Huddersfield and Birmingham respectively were unbeaten as third and fourth strings, while Andy Cross from Hartlepool transferred his Over 35 winning ways to the senior team, also with three wins. Teenager Andrew Parnaby won his one match, while team manager Michael Amer had Aycliffe's Lee Skinner in reverse.

Division One North

Promotion play-off group

P W L F Pts

Durham and Cleve 3 3 0 36 51

Notts 3 2 1 35 45

East Scotland 3 1 2 19 24

Ulster 3 0 3 17 17

Rickaby and young Parnaby, making his senior debut, gave D and C a 2-0 start against Ulster in the opening contest. Although number one Lumsdon lost, fourth string Cross took a vital tie-winning third rubber and Abbas added another. The county had secured 12 points plus the win bonus of five.

Norton's Cross had a quick first success against Notts. Thorpe at three followed suit, but he needed five sets and more than an hour to come through a tight affair especially after going 2-1 down. Lumsdon had meanwhile lost in the top match, but Rickaby was easing through his for a 3-1 lead. Sadly Abbas went down, but D and C had nine 9-8 advantage as well as the extra rubber and five points more for winning 3-2.

The state of play at the end of two rounds on the Saturday was Durham with 31 points, five ahead of both Notts and East Scotland. Nothing was taken for granted and just like their Over 35 counterparts two weeks previous the seniors showed intense determination to succeed.

They swamped East Scotland by 5-0 and collected 20 points as a result. Notts had a similarly easy win over Ulster, but Durham had enough in hand to capture the group title and take promotion.

Helping the cause in the stage one contests which put D and C into the play-offs had also been Ian Hilton (Norton), Peter Lonsdale (Redcar) and David Woodman (Cambridge Univ).

Durham and Cleveland 4 (12), Ulster 1 (5): Gareth Lumsdon (Norton) lost to G Stewart 0-3; Yawar Abbas (Grove Park) bt D Ayers 3-0; Ben Rickaby bt D Owens 3-1; Andy Cross (Norton) bt J Hastings 3-1; Andrew Parnaby (Yarm) bt D Roberts 3-0.

D and C 3 (9), Notts 2 (8): G Lumsdeon lost to J Rooney 0-3; Y Abbas lost to D Walsh 0-3; Matthew Thorpe bt D Oxley 3-2; B Rickaby bt N Reddington 3-0; A Cross bt J Walsh 3-0.

D and C 5 (15), East Scotland 0 (2): G Lumsdon bt C Small 3-2; Y Abbas bt K McNamara 3-0; M Thorpe bt D Knowles 3-0; B Rickaby bt R McIntosh 3-0; A Cross bt I Murray 3-0.

Other results: East Scotland 1, Notts 4; Ulster 1, East Scotland 4; Notts 4, Ulster 1.

Durham and Cleveland have now this season chalked up three notable achievements. The Over 35 men's team won the national title and included Andy cross and Yawar Abbas in its squad, while earlier in the season the U19 boys won their first division play-off to reach the premier division for the first time with Lee Skinner as their lead player.

Kall Kwik Harrogate and District League

Ripon achieved their first win of the season but still seem destined to finish as wooden spoonists.

The Ripon light at the end of the 17 match tunnel emerged when they defeated Moortown IV 2-1 at their Boroughbridge base.

Wins by Neil Jackson and Sue Bailey secured the rare win for the team without a home from home after Ripon's last squash court was replaced by a housing development.

Neil Jackson took a win at first string against Martyn Wilkinson - 9-4 9-7 9-1 with Sue Bailey winning 9-3 9-6 10-9 at Ripon's Boroughbridge base.

Moortown's winner was was Steve Holroyde who defeated Brian Clark 9-3 9-5 9-6.

Despite the victory Ripon are still rooted at the foot of Division Three with 68 points. One place above them are Boroughbridge who have 91 points with four wins from 16 matches.

Meanwhile at the top of Division One Chapel Allerton strengthened their grip as they appear to be heading for the championship.

They defeated Knaresborough 2-1 extending their lead at the top to 21 points over Ilkley who replaced Adel in second spot.

Adel's hopes of taking the title almost vanished after they lost 2-1 at home to Harlow, Adel's only victory came when Harlow's Tom Ellis retired from his top string clash against Mark Ambler with the games at one all.

Division One: Ilkley II 1 (Tom Songhurst) Chapel Allerton II 2 (Nick King, Scott Wilson); Collingham 0 Ilkley 3 (Gareth Hutchinson, Andy Hutchinson, Phil Maunsell); Chapel Allerton 2 (Ian Cawthorne, Tony Womersley) Knaresborough 1 (James Lambley); Harrogate Squash 2 (Adam Nowakowski, Richard Hill) Moortown 1 (Stewart Macdonald).

Division Two: Ilkley III 3 (Neil Cowan, Paul Mancey, Roger Goodwin-Jones) Collingham II 0; Harrogate III 3 (Sam Peacock, Steve Ross, Steve Gibson) Knaresborough II 0; Harlow II 3 (Dan Lupton, Sophie Jacob, Paul Fairhurst) Bedale 0; Harlow II 2 (John Graham, Steve Ingram) Otley 1 (Steve Thackwray); Moortown II 3 (Nick Jezeph, Nigel Lister, Carl Knowles) Boroughbridge 0.

Division Three: Otley II 2 (Robert Field, John Stillwell) Collingham IV 1 (Steve Widdison); Moortown III 2 (Mark Westmancoat, Steve Morley) Harrogate Squash V 1 (Peter Cronin); Knaresborough II 2 (Andy Macmillan, Phil Smelt) Harlow IV 1 (Jim McGuinness); Ripon 2 (Neil Jackson, Sue Bailey) Moortown IV 1 (Steve Holroyde).

Hambleton Ales North Yorkshire League

Bedale are on course to retain the First Division title after winning a vital clash.

Bedale's 2-1 home win against Harrogate Squash cemented their place at the top of the league, despite Harrogate fielding Yorshire Premiership player Simon Myring at first string.

Myring took Harrogate's only victory, beating Phil Martin 9-1 10-8 9-0.

But wins by Dave Smiley and Alan Peirson came to Bedale's rescue in the pivotal match.

Smiley defeated Paul Hotchkiss 9-5 7-9 9-4 9-6 with Peirson creating a surprise with a 9-4 9-6 9-7 win against Mark Harding.

Bedale are now on 155 points with 13 wins from 15 matches, Harrogate Squash II are a place behind on 149 points (11 wins from 15).

Harrogate Squash II kept flickering hopes alive for the title with a 3-0 away win at lowly Pateley Bridge. Bob Peacock, David Duncalf and Dave Dodwell were Harrogate II's winners.

Division One: Bedale 2 (Dave Smiley, Alan Peirson) Harrogate Squash 1 (Simon Myring); Pateley Bridge 0 Harrogate Squash II 3 (Bob Peacock, David Duncalf, Dave Dodwell); Thirsk 2 (Steve Whiteley, Paul Goacher) Wensleydale 1 (Nick Brown).

Division Two: Harrogate Squash III 3 (Adam Hughes, Ian Woodhead, Steve Gibson) Wensleydale III 0; Knaresborough II 3 (Gary Hatch, Adrian Forge, Peter Bottomley) Bedale II 0; Wensleydale II 2 (Jim Forbes, Richard Phillips) Thirsk II 1 (Mark Fox); Bedale III 1 (Andy Hawkswell) Harlow II 2 (Dave Allenby, Dan Lupton); Catterick Garrison 2 (Jason Hughes, Tim Jones) RAF Leeming 1 (George Bannister).

Division Three: Wensleydale IV 3 (James Iveson, John Chilton, Mark Southcott) Thirsk IV 0; Harrogate Squash V 1 (Tim Welch) Knaresborough III 2 (Phil Smelt, Paul Jackson); Harrogate Squash IV 1 (Duncan Hill) Bedale IV 2 (Mark Johnson, Geoff Coles); Pateley Bridge II 2 (Dave Mann, Bill Hannay, Andy Balsdon) Harlow III 0.