SKIPTON and Upper Wharfedale are locked in a battle to avoid an immediate return to Division Three.

The two sides are level on 159 points with two matches left after the latest round of fixtures.

Skipton will be feeling disappointed to find themselves back in trouble after coming close to pulling off a shock result against Division Two leaders Follifoot.

The Sandylanders performed well to bowl out their opponents for just 116 with Andrew Fergie taking 5-38 and Shahid Nadeem (3-37).

Skipton edged towards victory but the turning point came when the ninth-wicket partnership between Graham Summersgill and Jayanta Mukharjee was ended, Paul Angove, despite being at full stretch, running out Mukharjee.

Skipton’s disappointment was compounded when news emerged that Upper Wharfedale had defeated in-form Harden by three wickets.

Australia Caleb Grant was Upper Wharfedale’s match winner.

He struck an unbeaten 57 to steer them home after Phil Leng (4-22) had posed early problems when they replied to Harden’s 167.

Lee Spragg (48), James Roper (34) and Paul Quinlan (27) revived their side from 68-6.

Steeton were put to the sword by Division One leaders Otley, who now only need eight points to be certain of being champions.

James Davies (7-29) and former Upper Wharfedale overseas player James Wilcock (3-30) skittled out the hosts for 77, of which No 8 Jonathan Best made 21no.

It took only 16.1 overs for the visitors to complete the win with nine wickets to spare.

Zarshad Khan’s 6-42 spell set up Silsden’s three-wicket victory at home to Woodhouse in Division Three. The visitors were dismissed for just 120 before Majid Inyat (38no) guided the Keighley Road side to a narrow victory.

Ali Long (67) top scored as Calverley ended Addingham’s seven-match winning streak.