SKIPTON maintained their Division Two promotion challenge by moving up to third place with a 34-run win at Knaresborough.

The Sandylanders were asked to bat first by a Knaresborough side that had been skittled out for just 64 the previous week on what appeared to be a good track, and the decision looked to be paying off as the visitors slipped to 46-3.

Keir Nelson and Iqbal Khan started to repair the damage with a stand of 37 before Nelson and skipper Richard Nichols, who dropped himself down the order to six, were dismissed to make it 90-5.

After Khan's departure at 113, Gary Owens steadied the ship with a stand of 42 with Steve Carling (24), and continued the good work with an unbroken partnership of 50 with his brother Gary.

Kevin finished unbeaten on 48 while Gary was 30 not out when the 50 overs expired with Skipton on 205-7.

Knaresborough made a shaky start and were 50-3 before Sam Ryan (50) and Eddie Martin (46) put on 89 for the fourth wicket.

Both fell in quick succession to Iqbal Khan (3-40) before skipper Nichols (4-18) wiped out the tail as Knaresborough were dismissed for 34. Their last seven wickets fell for 32 runs.

Steeton must have sensed it wasn't going to be their afternoon when opener David Robinson was bowled by Otley skipper James Davies from the first ball of the game.

Australian Sam Blake (4-32) then removed Matthew Price, Andrew Luxton and Andrew Foulds as Steeton plunged to 31-4 against the Division One leaders.

John Akrigg (19) and Tom Stead (19) proved to be the top scorers as Steeton were dismissed for 107 with Davies finishing with 4-27.

Otley had little trouble knocking off the runs and securing an eight-wicket win. Openers James Pickering (42no) and Ben Morley (42) led the charge with a stand of 71.

The pack at the top of Division Three re-shuffled but it remains a wide-open race with only 36 points between leaders New Rover and eight-placed Upper Wharfedale and seventh.

New Rovers showed no mercy for Silsden as they made 269-4. Oliver Whiteman scored an unbeaten 107 while Michael Richmond (70) and Eitan Litvin (56) showed no mercy for the bowlers.

Majid Inayat scored 88 for Silsden but he lacked support as his team was dismissed for 184 with Thomas Rhea taking 6-42.

Calverley won their fifth match in a row, knocking Addingham off top spot, mainly thanks to Jatinder Singh and Naveed Panesar. Laurie O’Connor (41) and Henry Barrow (40) helped Addingham recover from 43-4 to 208-9 with Singh taking 4-36 and Panesar 3-66. Panesar then hit 63 and Singh 44no as Calverley got home by two wickets.

Taylor Beard was bristling with pride after making a superb 137 and taking 7-29 for Old Modernians as they defeated Upper Wharfedale by 33 runs.

Beard dominated his side's 243 all out while Caleb Grant (3-48) and Callum Lockett (3-94) were the most-successful Wharfedale bowlers.

Max Bell (84) and opener James Raper (57) gave Wharfedale hope before that man Beard struck to dismiss the visitors for 210.