WITH Rawdon’s match against North Leeds postponed, Otley wasted no time in extending their lead at the top of the Aire-Wharfe League Division 1 to 28 points with victory at Horsforth Hall Park.

Skipper Ben Waller (32) was one of five batters to make double figures in Horsforth’s 144 as Charlie Simondson took 5-53, with Josh Stephenson (53 not out) and Josh Atkinson (45) seeing the Cross Green side to victory in the 32nd over.

Behind them, it was third versus fourth as Burley-in-Wharfedale faced Addingham at Hodson Park, where the hosts fell to a 43-run defeat.

Batting first, a 105-run partnership between Edward Croft (55) and Ricky Palacio (69) contributed the majority of the visitors’ 208, with Palacio (4-43) seeing Burley fall to 165 in reply, despite Red Bolton making 50.

Ilkley moved up four places to eighth after a four-wicket win at home to fellow strugglers Beckwithshaw in a game that went down to the wire.

Electing to bat, the visitors lost two early wickets but soon rebuilt to a competitive 214-8 thanks to Joe Holderness (59), Hector Hamill (57 no), and Miles Buller (56).

But that was not enough, Andrew Rhodes (59 no) seeing the Bah’tatter’s win off the final ball of the match.

North Leeds and New Rover now occupy the division’s relegation places, with the latter falling to a narrow 13-run defeat at Saltaire, despite Shahzada Khan (5-51) restricting the hosts to 194-9 from their 50 overs.

A 69-run partnership between Fahid Rehman and Rohan Ratnalingam (both 33) couldn’t drive Leeds to victory, Mutashan Ali Shah (6-53) ensuring the visitors finished just shy of their target.

Bilton are also in real trouble in 10th, with Tuseif Arshad’s unbeaten 35 not enough to prevent Collingham & Linton from cruising to a seven-wicket win, Gregory Brown (42) and Charlie Swallow (42 no) contributing as they successfully chased down 168.

Nunroyd Park was the place to be in Division 2, with Adel managing a mammoth 385-5 from their 50 overs as they put hosts Green Lane to the sword.

Most of that came from skipper and opener Tom Harrison (105) before No.4 Mark Johnson hit a staggering 27 fours and 16 sixes on his way to a career-best 245 in a 308-run partnership for the third wicket.

Gavin Thorpe (4-24) and Jamin Barron-Troop (2-12) then cashed in with the ball to bowl the in-form hosts out for 135 in reply.

It was first versus second in a top-of-the-table clash at Follifoot, with Tong Park Esholt claiming a six-wicket win to extend their lead to 20 points.

Electing to bat, a 113-run partnership between James Orton (86 no) and Tom Stewart (72) helped the hosts to a competitive 229-8, but it was a total Esholt reached with four overs to spare thanks to Saqib Mir (75 no) and Dru Patel (37).

Pool are now up to second after they romped to a 130-run thrashing of Bardsey, with overseas Krutik Patel scoring 156 from 147 deliveries before taking 5-24 to bowl the visitors out for just 130.

Despite Tom Smallwood making a fine 90, Steeton cruised to a six-wicket win at relegation-threatened Olicanian, with skipper Stevie Pearson taking 4-48 before making an unbeaten 41 – alongside James Robinson’s 98 – as they chased down 220 in the 40th over.

Harden and Horsforth currently occupy the other bottom three spots, with the Keighley-based side denting their survival hopes after failing to pick up a point at Colton Institute.

Electing to bat, captain Andy Wear (64) made over half of his side’s 109 as one of just three batters to make double figures, a total that Colton reached in the 21st over thanks to a 91-run partnership between Liam Mostert (54 no) and Nick Thackray (28 no).

By contrast, Horsforth’s three-wicket win at home to Calverley offered them a glimmer of hope of avoiding the drop, with Will Joyce (38) and Tom Colley (33) helping them chase down 168 following strong performances from Matthew James (4-36) and Mitch Bunker (3-50) before tea.  REPORT BY: EMMA KENNEDY