Selby first team returned to action on Saturday when they travelled the short distance to Drax and they kept themselves firmly in the promotion race with a seven wicket win.

Skipper Tom Shepherd won the toss and asked Drax to bat first and it soon proved to be a good decision with opening bowlers Jamie Middleton and Gareth Roberts again bowling tightly. The first wicket fell after six overs with the total on 15 when Roberts had Lewis Thomas caught behind by Darrell Guy. In the next over Middleton bowled Toby Bodycombe and then had Lewis Smith caught by James Dugher to reduce the home side to 15-3. Middleton (3-16) grabbed another wicket in the 13th over when he had Luke Edwards caught in the deep by Shepherd but skipper Kevin Thomas and Ben Worley then held up the Selby attack with some solid batting. A short rain break reduced the game to 44 overs per side and the introduction of Lee Wild ended the fifth wicket partnership of 28 when he had Worley (22) caught by Jamie Pickles. Ethan Umbo (12) hit three boundaries before he was caught and bowled by Wild and shortly afterwards he trapped Tom Longhurst leg before. Tom Shepherd joined the attack to take a couple of wickets including Kevin Thomas who worked hard for his 15 and Wild finished with the fine figures of 4-6 from his six overs when he had Paul Vickers neatly caught by Matt Hoyle to leave the home side 82 all out in the 34th over.

There was an early set back for Selby when they replied when Matt Hoyle played on to Jack Derham in the first over with the total on just 2. Alex Bowden and Matty Clark soon got the innings back on track with some fine batting and they quickly added 29 for the second wicket before Derham bowled Clark for a rapid 16. Derham (3-39) struck again when he caught and bowled Rob Scarr (9) to leave the visitors on 46-3 and another rain shower forced the players off again. On the resumption Alex Bowden (23*) and Lee Wild (27*) both batted powerfully as Selby raced to victory in only the 13th over. The win keeps Selby in third place and they are at home to Castleford II on Saturday. Thanks go to match ball sponsor Bill Wharram.

Yorkshire Premier League North Division Four (Ebor)

Crossgates I 278-8, Selby II 210-9

In Division Four there were 488 runs scored at Sandhill Lane when Selby second team went down to a 68 run defeat to second in the table Crossgates I.

The Leeds side won the the toss and decided to bat first on a good looking track but the early part of the afternoon belonged to Selby when young bowler Caspar Gray had Hem Bhandari caught by Joe Bugg with the total on 6. Gray struck again when he bowled skipper Arvind Nijampure (15) and Luke Berzins (2-38) continued the good Selby start when he had Balraj Seehra (18) caught by Oliver Steward and then caught and bowled Avanish Tantry to reduce the visitors to 58-4. Spinner Alex Langhan joined the attack to bowl Harrison Birch to leave Crossgates on 78-5 but Mani Kumar then took control of the game as he began to punish any loose bowling and he produced some spectacular big hitting. Kumar peppered the boundary although he did survive some difficult chances and there was good support from Hussian Mirza (39) as they added 107 for the eighth wicket. Kumar hammered 16 fours and 9 sixes in his remarkable unbeaten 185 as Crossgates closed on a massive 278-8 from their 40 overs.

The Selby reply revolved around skipper Graham Phillips and there was good support from Tom Sherwood, Jack Huddlestone (10) and Mark Hope (16). Phillips and Joe Bugg added 74 for the fourth wicket before Phillips was bowled by Brijesh Gandhi for 88, which included 13 fours and a six. Bugg (36), Oliver Steward (18) and Luke Berzins (20) kept the scoreboard ticking over but there was more drama late in the innings when spinner Balraj Seehra took a hat trick. Selby closed on a respectable 210-9 which earned them a couple of batting points and they travel to Scarcroft II on Saturday.

York Vale League Division Three

Heworth IV 184, Selby III 185-4

In the York Vale League Selby third team continue to lead the Division Three table after a six wicket win at Heworth IV on Sunday.

Skipper Steve Sherwood won the toss and decided to bowl first and Rhys Roddick grabbed an early wicket when he bowled Matthew Bonarius in the third over. Skipper Paul Whitley and Rufus Dent frustrated the Selby attack with a second wicket partnership of 41 which was eventually ended by Jack Hunter (2-29) when he had Dent caught behind by Harry Huddlestone. Neil Darley (2-39) and Dan Mcloughlin (1-28) kept Selby just on top but Ollie Mair (59) batted well as the Selby bowlers had to work hard. There was good support for Mair from Andy Inkster (14) and Austin Currie (14) as the York side were eventually bowled out in the last over for a useful 184 with Rhys Roddick finishing with 3-27.

In reply Selby openers Harry Huddlestone and Steve Sherwood were soon scoring quickly and they put the visitors in a commanding position with a first wicket partnership of 107. Andy Inkster made the breakthrough for the home side when he trapped Sherwood (40) leg before but the run rate did not slow down when Gareth Pearce joined Huddlestone. The runs continued to flow but Robin Kay eventually had Huddlestone stumped by Alex Lines for a stylish 76, which included 12 boundaries. Pearce hit a rapid 28 before he was also stumped but Kayden Lane (21*) and Neil Darley (6*) comfortably guided Selby home in the 27th over. Selby lead the table by 59 points and they face a busy weekend when they play Stamford Bridge IV on Saturday and face Ovington III in the final of the Scothern Construction Cup on Sunday at Sandhill Lane.