CLIFTON Alliance and Studley Royal closed the gap on Easingwold at the top of the Hunters York & District Senior League Premier Division as the leaders' match with Bolton Percy was abandoned.

Meanwhile, Sessay lost ground on their promotion rivals when they too were victims of the wet weather.

Easingwold were in a strong position, having declared on 231-7 thanks to a half-century from Mark Mierzwinski (54) and contributions from Stephen Piercy (48) and Kyle Waite (45no).

Peter Houseman (3-84) took three wickets for the home side, who had reached 18-1 from ten overs when the match was brought to a premature end.

Despite declaring on 202-9, Clifton Alliance were unable to force a victory over visitors Heworth as Salman Syed proved to be a thorn in the host's side with both bat and ball.

Figures of 4-49 and wickets from Graham Knott (3-53) kept the scoring in check, Scott Hopkinson and Cullum Jordan sharing the batting honours, each making 33.

Stephen Lawrence made 55 in reply for the visitors but it was Syed’s unbeaten 41 which helped secure his side a draw as they reached 144-7, despite 3-51 from Hopkinson.

Dan Craven took 5-39 as Studley Royal came within two wickets of beating Hull Zingari, the home side finishing on 181-8.

James Clarkson (52) and William Wray (51) both scored half-centuries in the visitors' total of 215-9, which included four wickets from Matthew Wilkinson (4-45) and three for Grant Van Es (3-49), but the home side secured a draw, mostly through the efforts of Jack Riley (47) and Guy Martinson (46).

Beverley Town had Matthew Mudd (5-32) to thank as they ended a three-match losing run with a six-wicket win over Pickering.

Mudd helped bowl out the home side for 145, which included a top score of 32 from Kieran Bowes, but a third fifty in four innings from Will Parker (59) and 46 from Anthony Spence then set up the victory, which lifted the home side away from the bottom two.

Anthony Gibbins (91) and Neil Foster (63) were largely responsible for GooleTown’s 246-8 against York, Chris Hunter (3-76) picking up three wickets for the home side.

York replied with 211-5, which included half-centuries from Ian Jarvis (68) and Oliver Leedham (69) and was sufficient to earn a share of the points.

Sessay were in control against visitors Driffield Town when rain seemingly robbed them of a chance of victory. Having dismissed the hosts for 176, with wickets from Grant Halder (5-55) and Johnny Anderson (4-50), the visitors then found themselves 114-7, thanks in the main to five wickets from Stephen Langstaff (5-15).

With Mark Clarkson (40) and Richard Grice (39) both out, a third win in four matches looked the likely outcome prior to the abandonment.