Costcutter York and District Senior League

The promotion issues have already been decided in three of the six divisions. Dunnington and Ripon are certain to occupy the top two spots m Division One with the former needing to take seven points from a difficult final game against York to clinch the title.

Ripon will be looking for maximum reward when they visit bottom place Civil Service.

Carlton Towers have won the Second Division while Stillington are certain to accompany them into Division One. New Earswick are certain of the one promotion place in Division Four.

In contrast, teams certain of dropping down a division are Driffield from the Premier, Civil Service from Division One and Woodhouse Grange II and Osbaldwick II from Division Two. The three relegation places in Division Three will be filled by Acomb II, Thorp Arch and Boston Spa and Easingwold II while Tadcaster Magnet II and Selby cannot avoid filling two of three relegation places in Division Four. New Earwsick II and Thorp Arch and Boston Spa II will be required to seek re-election

Premier Division Easingwold require 18 points from their final game against Heworth to make certain of their first league title triumph since 1975 as they have a 13-point advantage over Clifton Alliance who will be looking for maximum points at Osbaldwick in their bid to retain their title.

A partnership of 109 for the fourth wicket between skipper Martin Robinson (81) and Tom Darnell (48) set Easingwold on the way to an advantage draw at Pickering which earned them 21 points. Paul Skilbeck crashed 24 off nine deliveries to net full batting points as Easingwold reached 200-6. Mark Shephard took 4 for 59 for Pickering who replied with 137-8 as Neil Simmonds who 47 and Andy Hill (27) and Colin Frank (27) earned the Pikes a draw at 137-8. Aussie Matthew Schenke took 4-36 to help bank four bowling points for Easingwold with keeper Kevin Hollinrake pouching four catches.

Clifton Alliance also took maximum batting points but only dismissed five Thirsk batsmen in their draw and consequently were only able to net 19 points as the gap increased to 13 points. Batting first, Dave Russell and Dave Taylor each made 31 for Clifton then John Hunter added 48 to boost the Alliance's score to 200-8.

Barry Petty bowled his usual 25-over spell which earned him 5 for 67 to take his wicket tally for the season to 78 and the Thirsk stalwart requires two wickets from the final game to beat his Premier Division record 79 wicket haul last season.

Thirsk's batsmen then responded in kind with Aussie Lincoln McCrae leading the way with 48. Dew Wyrill added 45 and Andrew Hawke 39 but Johnny Hunter's 3-54 was just sufficient to rule out a Thirsk victory with the Northerners closing at 184-5.

Ripon kept their title hopes alive with a four-wicket victory over Duncombe Park who where all out for 138 as Tim Collins took 3-29 and Andrew Frost 3-19. Grant Denny hit back for the Helmsley side with 4-32 but Richard Hawley made 46, Neal Jackson 36 and 16-year-old Gary Blackburn 27 as Ripon took the honours.

York recorded a sensational. victory when they raced to an eight-wicket win in less than 13 overs against bottom-placed Civil Service. Jonathan Draper made 27 and Mark Bradley 20 for Service but Kieron Barton with 4-29 in 16 overs and Gavin Thomas who took 3-30 had them all out for. Barton fell for 25 but Brendan O'Donovan then hit an unbeaten 46 in 43 minutes and Dawd Catlow 24 in 12 minutes as York showed no mercy on their neighbours from just over the Ouse.

Collis King became the first player to hit six centuries in a season when he made an unbeaten 117 at Harrogate in Division Two. King has now hit 21 tons in the league and is in joint second place in the centuries list. The former West Indian Test-star's performance has ensured promotion for his club into Division One. Harrogate's South African Neil Levenson showed his class with an unbeaten 91 while Miles Rawlings added 37 as Dwayne Field took 3-53. Harrogate made 183-6 in their overs. He then embarked on his familiar single man effort as he made 117 not out to take Stillington to a five-wicket win