OTLEY’S championship prospects in the Aire-Wharfe League Premier Division look a lot brighter as they won easily at Rawdon while nearest challengers Collingham & Linton were losing by 30 runs at Adel, extending the gap between the two from eight points to 22.
On a day of ‘daddy’ hundreds, Cumberland’s Alex Atkinson added his name to the list by scoring 137 after Otley won the toss and had first knock.
He added 129 with Steve Brown (79) for the fifth wicket as Otley racked up an impressive 278-9, Jake Hodges taking 3-59.
Rawdon made a decent start, Hodges (36) and Andrew Duckworth (20) putting on 52 for the opening wicket.
But wickets fell at regular intervals after that and Rawdon were dismissed for 190, Roby Lane taking 4-61 and Ollie Halliday 3-36.
Pool climbed to seventh by deepening visitors Steeton’s woes, with the home side’s Logan Duval scoring 108 of their 245-9, with the opener only facing 79 balls.
Will Pallister (4-27) then dismissed four of Steeton’s top five, before Krutik Patel took care of the lower order to finish with 5-54 in a total of 176.
Horsforth Hall Park, who slipped one spot to eighth, came out on the wrong side of a competitive match at Saltaire, who made 261-8 after winning the toss, Sam Wilkinson taking 3-29.
Hall Park were looking good at 109-2, but once Priyank Koli was dismissed for 51, only Jacob Phillips (53) and Michael Loubser (56) carried on his good work and they were back in the pavilion for 217.
Tong Park Esholt have notched a huge win in their battle for survival.
They triumphed by two wickets at Burley off the first ball of the last over to move 42 points clear of the second demotion berth.
Burley, who chose to bat, were indebted to their overseas opener Jason Krafft, who scored 133 opening the innings in his side’s imposing total of 281-6.
However, opener Dave Hester then played a captain’s knock for TPE, scoring 129 off 115 deliveries, which contained 15 fours and five sixes.
He dominated an opening stand of 170 with Jake Sali (51) and, despite wickets falling at regular intervals from 201-1, Esholt got home just in time.
Division One leaders Addingham had a bad weekend, losing to visitors Colton Institute by three wickets on Saturday and then bowing out of the Voneus National Village Cup the following day after a batting collapse.
A last-wicket stand of 49 between Ronan Brink (29 not out) and Darrell Robinson (18) boosted Addingham’s total to 197 against Colton after Ricky Palacio (49) had scored runs earlier in the innings.
But that wasn’t enough as Colton won in the 45th over, despite James Nixon taking 3-27.
Addingham, whose lead has been cut to 24 points, were at Greater Manchester League side Woodhouses on Sunday in the last 16 and dismissed them for 121, Ted Haggas taking 4-14.
The visitors were 64-1 after tea, with Palacio on 38, but his dismissal triggered a collapse to 91-9, although a last-wicket stand of 25 almost got Addingham over the line.
Ilkley narrowed the gap between themselves in third place and Beckwithshaw in second to six points by winning the shortest game of the day.
Calverley won the toss and chose to bat, but were back in the pavilion in just 24.1 overs after being castled for 52, with Tom Rowell taking 4-21, Paul Dover 3-11 and Nick Schofield 3-8.
Then keeper Will Spivey (25no) and Sam Housam (28no) knocked off the runs in a mere 8.2 overs.
Opener Will Spivey ensured Ilkley cruised to a thumping 10-wicket win over hapless Calverley. (Image: Andy Garbutt.)
There was little joy for Olicanian at Beckwithshaw, who made 162 despite Neyko Stiglingh taking 5-33.
Ollies were then rolled over for 94 in 21.2 overs, although opener Ethan McLelland scored 27.
Guiseley also, lost - by 14 runs at home to Bardsey, who made 240-9 after being sent in, Aniket Rana bagging 3-55 and Dan Hoos 3-54.
Opener Viraj Bhosale was the main man in Guiseley’s reply, scoring 71 as they were dismissed for 226.
In Division Two, promotion-chasing Menston won a thriller by four runs at home to Thackley in a game of 604 runs.
Fraser Oates produced a sensational innings at No.3 for Menston, scoring 156 not out in a total of 304-5.
His runs came off only 141 balls and contained 21 fours and five sixes.
Thackley had a real good go at that target and finished on 300-8, new-ball pair James Lowans (4-99) and Zarshad Khan (3-59) at least getting some reward.
Menston are now third, eight points behind second-placed Shadwell, while Horsforth stay sixth after a low-scoring triumph over fourth-placed Bingley Congs.
Horsforth’s innings was in bother at 96-7 until a stand of 61 between Harry Jeavons (42) and Evan Parkinson (31) boosted them to 167.
Then Matthew Wainwright (5-13 from 12 overs) proved virtually unplayable as Congs were dismissed for 114.
Second-from-bottom Leeds Modernians became the latest side to beat cellar dwellers Rodley, scoring 264-7 as Ashley Rowden made an unbeaten 50.
Rowden then took 5-78 as Rodley made a spirited 235-9, despite being 119-7.
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