Harrogate and District League

Thirsk are within a point of Division One leaders Harrogate Racquets in the race for league championship but Thirsk have played two matches more than the top side, and have lost twice and drew one of their nine fixtures.

Meanwhile, Racquets are unbeaten in seven matches and are on 14 points.

Thirsk closed the gap on their rivals beating Division One strugglers Ben Rhydding, the only club in the league with grass courts.

However, it failed to help relegation strugglers Rhydding who went down 6.5-2.5 against their North Yorkshire rivals.

Scores: (Ben Rhydding names first) K Hall and M Wilkinson halved with A Parry and T Williamson 6-5, 3-6; lost to N Hatch and D Hannam 1-6; beat G Robinson and B Gaunt 6-4, 6-4.

I Brunton and H Beesley lost to Parry and Williamson 3-6, 3-6; lost to Hatch and Hannam 2-6, 3-6; lost to Robinson and Gaunt 4-6.

M Hagel and C Hagel lost to Parry and Williamson 2-6; lost to Hatch and Hannam 4-6, 4-6; beat Robinson and Gaunt 6-0, 6-3.

Bottom of Division One Dacre and second bottom Ben Rhydding are each four points adrift of third from bottom Harlow A. With home advantage Ben Rhydding missed a golden chance to defeat Harlow A but went down 7-2.

All is not lost for the bottom two sides however, each has two matches in hand on Harlow A.

Bedale, dubbed the runaway train of Division Two, are steaming ahead and look set for an instant return to the top flight as they now have a seven point lead over second in the table Harrogate Academy, who have two matches in hand.

In a top versus bottom clash Bedale defeated Starbeck 7.5-1.5 with Tim Osborne and Althea Draper teaming up to secure three successive victories. Mark Scarlett and Trish Melhuish secured two wins while John Hart and Melanie Couchman took two rubbers and halved their third.

League debutants Northallerton are still unbeaten after eight matches in Division Six and look certain to win promotion. They lead Birstwith B by five points, but the chasing side has a match in hand on the leaders.

Results: Division One: Ben Rhydding 2, Harlow A 7; Ben Rhydding 2.5, Thirsk 6.5

Division Two: Harrogate Racquets A 4, Harrogate Academy 5; Thirsk A 5.5, Wetherby 3.5; Bedale 7.5, Starbeck 1.5.

Division Three: Spa 5, Harrogate Racquets B 4; West Tanfield 5.5, Knaresborough A 3.5; Masham 5.5, Birstwith A 3.5; Knaresborough A 7, Harlow C 2.

Division Four: Wetherby A 1.5, Raskelf 7.5; Harlow D 7, Masham A 2; Dacre A 8, Bedale A 1.

Divisioin Five: West Tanfield 0, Harrogate Racquets C 9; Dacre 0.5, Harrogate Academy A 8.5; Knaresborough B 3.5, Starbeck A 5.5; Spa A 5, Thirsk B 4; Thirsk B 7, Starbeck A 2; Harrogate Racquets C 7, Knaresborough B 2.

Division Six: Burton Leonard 2, Bedale B 7; Ripon B 3.5, Harrogate Grammar School 5.5

One of North Yorkshire's leading tennis coaches Jane Donald has been selected to play for Yorkshire in the Inter-County Grass Court Tennis Championship at Worthing next week.

Donald, who coaches players at The Academy in Harrogate, where she has been based for the past few years, played for Yorkshire in the winter county championships last year. But this will be her debut in the grass court championships.

Many have been surprised at Donald's omission from the Yorkshire squad as her abilities on court have played a major part in helping Leeds side Rawdon win national club titles for several years.

Yorkshire are bidding to regain Group One status as they face Warwickshire, Middlesex, Oxfordshire, Ken and Berkshire.

Also in the Yorkshire side is current county champion Claire Sewell from Arthington.

The men compete at Nottingham and play Essex, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Middlesex and Northants.

Both Yorkshire teams are in Group Two, bidding to regain Group One status at Eastbourne next season.

The finals of the Yorkshire Tennis Championships being held at Chapel Allerton, Leeds, tomorrow have been declared an umpire free zone for the first time in the event's 106 year history.

The unprecedented move has been made because officials believe players, who have been making their own line calls in earlier rounds, can do so just as efficiently without courtside officials. The move will also save more than £200 for engaging six umpires for the afternoon.

But the decision has been met with surprise in Yorkshire tennis circles, although tournament official Maurice Rainey says they are sticking to their guns.

Surprise and disappointment at the move has been expressed by a spokesman for the British Association of Tennis Officials Trevor Stent, himself a Wimbledon match official.

"I'm disappointed that they don't find it necessary to have officials but every organiser has their own views of umpires," said Stent.

Champions Bardsey secured a key victory over title pretenders Whitkirk as the race for the Barkston Ash First Division silverware became a three horse race.

Currently Horsforth head the division with 34 points from eight wins from 10 matches.

Whitkirk are second on the same number of points with just four fewer games to their credit.

Third placed Bardsey are just two points behind their rivals.

Bardsey gave their title hopes a boost by defeating Whitkirk 66 games to 42.

Scores: (Bardsey names first) A Lobley and S Billington beat E Dyke and A Rodgers 8-4; lost to N Harvey and S Jenkins 4-8; beat K Dobson and J Dobson 10-2.

T Moyo and D Mackintosh halved with Dyke and Rodger 6-6; halved with Harvey and Jenkins 6-6.

T Dickinson and V Firth beat Dyke and Rodgers 9-3; halved with Harvey and Jenkins 6-6; beat Dobson and Dobson 7-5.

Barkston Ash League

Division One: Collingham 36 Whitkirk 72; Sherburn 38 Bardsey 70; Bardsey 66 Whitkirk 42.

Division Two: Thorner 66 Copmanthorpe 42; Thorp Willoughby 64 Horsforth B 44.

Women: Castleford 62 Georgian 46.

Men: Alwoodley 70 Thorner 38; York All Saints 64 Alwoodley B 44.

Cup Quarter Finals: Cliffe 0 Bardsey 6; Sherburn 6 Colton 0.

Bardsey reached the Cup semi-finals in their 6-0 win over Cliffe thanks to victories by Adrian Lobley, Vicky Firth, Tawono Moyo and Dot Mackintosh.

Northallerton player Laura Gilbert has won praise for her performances in helping Yorkshire reach the final of the Inter County Under 10 Girls' Championships. Laura figured in the side which went down 3-1 in the final against Surrey at Bisham Abbey, Buckinghamshire.

En route to the final Yorkshire had defeated six rivals in what has been part of a resurgence in the fortunes of the county's junior teams.

Wetherby player Jamie Perkins also peformed well for Yorkshire in the final of the Inter County U-10 Boys' championship.

Jamie was Yorkshire's only winner as the side went down 3-1 to Surrey in the final.

Yorkshire's young sides have been revitalised under the guidance of a string of coaches throughout the county.