OTLEY may have four wins from four in the Aire-Wharfe League Premier Division, but they aren’t having things all their own way.
Their latest test came against Waddilove Cup holders Steeton, who sent in the home side at Cross Green.
A solid-looking card brought Otley 214 runs, though they will have been disappointed that none of the five players who topped 25 went big.
Openers George Huntley (27) and Ben Morley (36) added 66, with three wickets falling at that score, and then Steve Brown (38) and Ollie Halliday (27) put on 60 for the fourth wicket before Sam Kellett (32) and Jake Ross (19) shared a stand of 47 for the sixth.
Top-flight new boys Steeton replied with 206, paying the penalty for having only three major contributors as Roby Lane took 4-72 and Brown 3-57.
Pool are fourth on 41 points, 37 behind Otley, after winning a tense match at Horsforth Hall Park, who made 217 after being sent in.
They were in bother at 67-5, but the experienced Andy Bairstow - elder brother of Jonny - came to the rescue with a pugnacious 95 from 85 balls, including eight fours and six sixes, putting on 81 for the sixth wicket with Regan Phillips (21).
Charlie Bell (3-43) and Krutik Patel (5-67) took the bulk of the wickets, and the latter then starred with the bat, hitting 72 off 62 balls, including 13 fours and a six, as he featured in a first-wicket stand of 70 with Logan Duval (42).
Pool went from 143-3 to 144-6, but keeper Freddie Read (49no) steadied the ship and they won by two wickets with 5.1 overs remaining.
Rawdon had a similar win at North Leeds, by three wickets with 6.1 overs left, after the hosts chose to bat, making 163 as the wickets were shared between Jake Hodges (3-46), Corey Heath (3-13) and George Solti-Dupas (2-16).
The visitors, however, were 91-7 after tea before Tom Watson (53no) and skipper Joe Smith (44no) guided them home in an unbroken partnership of 76.
Burley were in cruise control at bottom club Bilton, who chose to bat but could only make 133, spinners Joe Hall (3-32) and Nicky Bulcock (3-46) putting them on the back foot after overseas Jason Krafft (2-16) had dismissed both openers.
Dan Bryan went early in the reply, but Mark Harrison (47no) and Dan Revis (69no) then put on 123 unbroken to take Rawdon to a nine-wicket victory in the 27th over.
Addingham lead the way by five points in Division One, making it three wins from three by defeating hosts Guiseley by 10 runs.
The top six all topped 20 for the visitors, Will Atkin (56) and Robbie Millar (52) leading the way, putting on 63 for the second wicket, Atkins then adding 65 for the third with Richard Atkins (33), Ricky Palacio (25), Nick Farrell (22) and James Nixon (23no) also making contributions.
James Davey and Jake Whittaker both made ducks in Guiseley’s reply as they stumbled to 29-3, but they were put back in the picture by partnerships of 69 between keeper Viraj Bhosale (25) and Aniket Rana (59), and Rana and Joel Newlove (44), who put on 60.
Guiseley were looking good at 216-6 but tailed off to 224 all out as Palacio returned to take 5-50.
Colton recovered from 90-7 to 167 at home to Olicanian, Neyko Stiglingh taking 4-48 and Christy Byrne 3-42, and that revival proved vital to the final outcome as Olicanian were skittled for 83.
Ilkley’s batting showed similar frailties at home to Beckwithshaw, who made 184 after winning the toss, despite Paul Dover bagging 3-21 and James Bourke 3-51.
Robbie Murray, who came to the crease at 40-2, was then left high and dry on 26 not out in an Ilkley total of 104, Nick Schofield (22) and opener Will Spivey (20) being the only other players to reach 20.
Menston are in a promotion position in Division Two after thrashing home side Old Leodiensians.
Leos lost the toss and had to field, with Menston making 257-7 after their top order fired.
Tom Mounsey (67) put on 63 for the second wicket with Fraser Oates (33), Mounsey then adding 59 for the third with JH Johnson, who continued his purple patch by scoring 74 off 50 balls, including eight fours and four sixes.
Leos were never in the hunt after tea as their two top scorers made 11 and 12 as they were castled for 53 inside 28 overs, with George Marsden taking 4-20 and overseas Zarshad Khan 3-4.
Horsforth were chasing leather at Kirkstall, who scored 367-6 after winning the toss, Graham Whiles having to come off after just 3.5 overs, only conceding eight runs.
Neither Whiles nor Graeme Buckley then batted as the visitors were back in the pavilion for 130 in 35.3 overs, skipper Joe O’Gorman and Matthew Cordingley both scoring 38.
Green Lane’s batting didn’t hit the heights either as they were dismissed for 90 at home to Thackley, who had made 165, Neil Britton taking 3-37 and Mark Horsman 3-27.
Phil Atkinson made a defiant 32 not out for Green Lane.
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