REPORT BY: EMMA KENNEDY

OTLEY continue to sit pretty atop Division One of the Aire-Wharfe League after cruising to a 109-run victory at home to North Leeds.

Sent in, Alex Atkinson (72) and George Huntley (68) put on 133 for the first wicket as Otley made 278-9 from their 50 overs, with Aftab Karim (6-70) doing the most damage with the ball.

Charlie Simondson (5-29) and Stephen Brown (4-62) then tore through the Leeds order, with Yash Pednekar (50) and Dom Cowley (32) the only batters to add much resistance as the visitors could only make 169 in reply.

Rawdon also passed 200 points after a four-wicket win against Bilton at Larkfield Road.

Opener Cameron Martin and No.10 Tuseif Arshad (both 35) comfortably top-scored as the visitors were bowled out for 133, with Joe Smith taking 4-31, Andrew Doidge 3-30, and Tyler Willmott 2-31.

Skipper Ben Morley, whose 60 from just 33 deliveries – including seven fours and three sixes – then spearheaded the Rawdon attack as they reached their target in just 19.1 overs.

At the other end of the table, New Rover remain last, despite claiming eight points at home to Burley-in-Wharfedale.

Electing to bat, Waleed Akhtar (73) and Matthew Dinsdale (55) helped the hosts to a competitive 243-8, but a 142-run partnership between Nicky Bulcock (50 no) and James Mukherjee (95 not out) saw Burley to their target with two overs to spare, despite the best efforts of Jonathan Postle (6-74).

Ilkley sit above New Rover on runs per wicket after falling to an 84-run defeat at Addingham, with Terry Pattinson (21) one of five batters to make double figures as they were bowled out for just 105.

That result means that just three points separate Addingham, Saltaire, and Horsforth Hall Park in the race for fourth place after the latter two earned 19 points at Collingham & Linton and Beckwithshaw respectively.

Dan Kilby (47) contributed the majority of Collingham & Linton’s disappointing 119 – with spin twins Mussawar Shah (5-25) and Mutashan Ali Shah (2-4) bowling five batters for ducks – before a 65-run partnership between Adal Islam (49 no) and Muhammad Khurshid (34) saw Saltaire over the line.

Sam Hyde and Michael Kelsey took four wickets apiece before Steve Phillips (55) helped Horsforth chase down 193 with eight balls to spare.

In Division 2, Tong Park Esholt remain in pole position after earning a tenth win of the campaign at home to Colton Institute.

Sent in, the visitors could only manage 140 against a strong bowling attack led by Saqib Mir (6-26), a total that Esholt reached in the 29th over after a 50-run partnership between Lee Gordon (50 no) and Dan Groom (39).

However, Follifoot are hot on their heels after a similarly strong bowling performance saw them to a six-wicket win on the road at Bardsey.

Batting first, Josh Cutts (3-24) and Istikhar Hussain (3-25) left Bardsey 0-1 and then 8-4 before wicketkeeper Tom Franklin (85 no) propelled them to 151.

Despite falling to 1-2 in reply, Yasar Ali (60 no) and skipper Tom Stewart (40) then saw Follifoot chase down their target in just 25.1 overs.

Behind them, it was third versus fourth as Pool travelled to Leeds to face Adel, with a 91-run partnership between Charlie Bell (59) and Krutik Patel (46) seeing the visitors claim a three-wicket win, despite Mark Johnson (91) making his highest total of the season before tea.

Hasnehn Haider (65) and Mark Portlock (65) helped Harden chase down 256-9 to secure a second consecutive win at home to fellow strugglers Olicanian, while wicketkeeper Harry Jeavons’ 83 proved in vain as Chris Wademan’s unbeaten 104 saw Steeton claim a seven-wicket win against Horsforth at Summerhill Lane.

The only other match in the division saw Green Lane move up to seventh with a five-wicket win at Calverley, with Azhar Mehmood taking 4-60 before making 46 not out to help the hosts chase down their target of 190 midway through the 39th over.