Harrogate CC teenager Isaac Light's first century helps sink rivals Sessay CC

The 17-year-old opening batsman finished unbeaten on 118 from just 88 balls, a knock which featured 15 fours and three sixes and saw the hosts to 200/2 inside 31 overs.

Harry Allinson (36) also chipped in with some useful runs as the visiting attack struggled to defend a seriously below-par first-innings total of 196/7 from 50 overs.

Stuart Clark (54), Nasir Jamal (45) and Christopher Till (40) all contributed with the bat for the Thirsk outfit, though only Afghanistan international Jamal scored his runs at any real pace.

Henry Thompson (4-45) was the pick of the ‘Gate attack, while Sri Lankan spinner Ishan Abeysekara took a trio of scalps after seam duo Mat Pillans and Jonny MacGregor had bowled extremely economically first up.

Saturday’s success was Harrogate’s first in three attempts but leaves them just one position and six points behind seventh-placed Sessay in the league standings, with a game in hand.

In Division One West, Knaresborough remain firmly on track for promotion and hot on the heels of the league leaders.

Greg Pickles’ men made it 11 victories in 14 attempts when they entertained Heworth, however the high-flyers did not have things all their own way.

Skipper Pickles top-scored with 49 in his side’s 176/9, Dave Girling adding 30 lower down the order.

And the away team were very much in the contest right up until the death, eventually running out of deliveries with the scoreboard reading 170/9.

Tashmial Henry finished the afternoon with 3-50, while Andy Ward (2-17), Tom Baines (2-24) and Toby Giddings (2-49) also did their bit.

That narrow win keeps Knaresborough just eight points behind top-of-the-table Thirsk, who romped for a comprehensive nine-wicket triumph over rock-bottom York 3rds.

Jamie Hogg bagged 3-18 to help restrict the basement boys to 164/7 in a game reduced to 40 overs per side.

Harry Collinson (78 not out) and fellow opener Keiran Fenwick (46) then guided Thirsk to maximum points with almost 18 overs to spare.

Fourth-placed Studley Royal lost more ground on the top-two as they lost for the second weekend on the spin when they entertained Bolton Percy.

Dan Craven (4-47) and Matthew Coad (3-49) bowled well for the home side after their visitors won the toss and elected to bat first, eventually closing on 223/9 from their 50 overs.

Leo Wilson (40) and Dan Coad (30) contributed to the Studley response, but that was as good as it got for the hosts, who ended up well short of where they needed to be on 140 all out.

Struggling Sessay 2nds stay second-from-bottom of the pile following their 73-run reverse at the hands of mid-table Harrogate 2nds.

Charlie Stokes (50 not out) struck a quick-fire half century from number eight to help ‘Gate to 227/6 in 44 overs.

Earlier in the away innings, openers Sanjay Mani (47) and George Owram had put on 96 for the first wicket, James Skelton capturing 4-50 for Sessay.

Paul Flintoff then made 41 alongside Chris Morrison (33 not out), however the away reply didn’t progress any further than 154/9.

Awais Shabbir, Ash Griffin, Stokes and Robert Horbury all finished the afternoon with a pair of dismissals to their name.

Pannal made a return to winning ways in Division Two Galtres, completing a relatively comfortable victory on the road at Duncombe Park.

Darren Shaw (40) and Noah Melling (34 not out) were the top performers in a first-innings effort of 153/7 from 45 overs.

Melling then completed a fine all-round performance by knocking over four Park batsmen to help send the hosts packing with only 115 to their name.

Ninth-placed Ripon’s batsmen endured another afternoon to forget as they were bowled out before they got anywhere near double-figures for the second weekend in succession.

Having dismissed their hosts for only 66, leaders Dunnington then required just 12.3 overs to knock off the required runs and complete a nine-wicket win.

Knaresborough 2nds were soundly beaten by Easingwold 2nds, however results elsewhere mean that they remain just above the drop zone.

Joe Sutcliffe impressed with figures of 3-24 as the home team made their way to 278.

Ben Ward managed 35 in reply, though he received little by way of meaningful support and Graham Dodds’ troops were eventually all out for 121.