It was a warm Saturday and a very dry ground that greeted the first XI at Fountains Garth, the home of Guisborough. The away skipper Nathan Rimmington won the toss and elected to field, knowing that any slip up would give the chasing side a chance to pass in the table. 

The home team started aggressively with left-handed Gary Wright (31) starting with a flurry of boundaries through the covers and via the inside edge. When he was needlessly run out by Cowling following a mix up with his partner who didn’t want 2, the score was 34-1. Bishop chipped away with wickets at 57 and 73, but a series of dropped chances through the innings halted immediate process. Nathan Rimmington bowled his 15 allotted overs through, 3 for 67 added to his tally for the season. When Guisborough’s overseas was well caught diving forward at backward point from the left arm spin of evergreen Chapman (3 for 41) the home sides progress had stuttered. Only 3 further batsmen contributed anything, with none playing a substantial role, the home side were dismissed for 154 in the 39th over. After being 77-2, an all too familiar story followed. Ian g=Grainger finished the innings and ended with 2 for 15. 

The visitor’s reply begun rather sedately, with openers Chapman and Rutherford seeing off the new ball, 11 for 0 from 6 overs snuffed out the opening threat. A short time later after some aggressive blows, the score was boosted to 78 for 0 from 17 overs. When Rutherford was dismissed for 55, bowled by Nadeem, the Badgers had made serious moves towards Guisborough’s total. Scott Oldfield (28*) accompanied Chapman who batted smartly for 53 not out and closed the innings with a pull shot for a one bounce 4 to backward square leg. 

The priory men soundly beaten, with Bishops staying in top spot with two to play. The huge fixtures don’t stop as we move on to the Division One Hundred final tomorrow, and then host struggling Whitby on Monday.