Skipton two wins from title

With four games to go they are 14 points clear of Upper Wharfedale with Horsforth a further point back.

Three of Skipton’s remain- ing games are at Sandylands and two more wins would see them crowned as the champions.

They are at home to Hall Park on Saturday before playing hosts to New Rover on August 31.

A trip to Menston on September 7 is followed by their final match at home to Addingham.

Upper Wharfedale, who are bidding to return to Division Two at the first attempt, still have plenty of work to do to keep pre-season promotion favourites Horsforth at bay.

They face away matches against Addingham this Saturday and Woodhouse on September 7, while their two remaining home games are against Illingworth on Aug- ust 31 and Silsden on Sep- tember 14.

Horsforth’s last four games are Menston (away), Adding- ham (home), Illingworth (away) and Woodhouse (home).

The clash between leaders Skipton and third-placed Horsforth on Saturday swung to and fro before the weather came out on top.

Mark McEneaney (3-66) and Andy Robinson (4-50) put Horsforth on top when they reduced Skipton to 89-6.

But unlike recent seasons, Skipton are made of sterner stuff these days.

Ben Holderness (49no) and Faisal Hussain (20no) put on 67 to get them to 219-8 and Hussain then removed the first two Horsforth batsmen with only two on the board.

The Upper Wharfedale bowlers were on top in their game with Menston when their match came to an early end.

Menston were 44-4 at the point when play was aban- doned.

Basement team Silsden suffered more batting woes before the rain came to their rescue.

They were bowled out for 101 with Asim Alam posing problems as he took 5-7.

Addingham were grateful for the weather’s interven- tion. They were wobbling at 32-3 in reply to Alwoodley’s 289-4 when play was called off. Graham Naylor (108no) and Graham Strange (106no) shone.

Steeton’s hopes of improv- ing their position in Division One were thwarted. Second-placed Bil