SALTAIRE are within touching distance of a first Aire-Wharfe League Division One title after a 43-run victory at home to Beckwithshaw extended their lead to 61 points.

The Roberts Park side were without the services of captain Usman Munir but still managed a competitive 294 thanks to wicketkeeper Bilal Hamid (59), Mutashan Ali Shah (46), and Sajad Ali – who added a quickfire 42 from 27 balls – with the wickets shared between Max Beeley (4-94), Oliver Hebblethwaite (2-59), Joe Holderness (2-64) and Ben Holderness (2-73).

Wickets fell steadily in Beckwithshaw’s reply until Miles Buller (127) notched his first league century, including 18 fours and four sixes, but he could not stop his side from finishing on 251 all out.

Ali (3-52), Danish Hussain (2-21), and Amjid Hussain (2-59) were the best of the home side’s eight bowlers.

Behind them, Rawdon’s five-match winning streak came to an end at the hands of an impressive Burley-in-Wharfedale.

Skipper Jason Wright batted the entirety of Burley’s innings to score a career-best 146 not out from 122 deliveries, with Matt Hastings (40), wicketkeeper Gabriel Field (39), and Nicholas Brook (37) also providing notable contributions in their 293-4.

Rawdon had a century of their own in the form of middle-order Joe Smith (113 not out) but failed to match Burley’s run rate, with Brook (3-36) and Wright (2-50) ensuring they fell 21 runs short.

Otley returned to action for the first time this month with an eight-wicket thrashing of Collingham & Linton at Cross Green.

The excellent Charlie Swallow (93 no) was backed up by skipper Toby Jacklin (63) in a 117-run stand for the sixth wicket, before forming a 66-run partnership with Adam Wetherall, as the visitors recovered from 25-5 to post 219-7.

But the COVID-enforced break did not deter Otley’s surge up the table, with wicketkeeper Alex Atkinson (75), Josh Atkinson (52 no), and Stephen Brown (51 no) seeing the hosts ease to their target and maintain the pressure on second-placed Rawdon.

Ilkley bounced back from last weekend’s defeat with an 18-run victory against North Leeds at The Homestead.

Batting first, James Raper (60), Sam Housam (50), and Alex Bailey (40) contributed the majority of Ilkley’s competitive 247-6, with Barry Singleton (4-77) the most effective of the six home bowlers.

Farhan Khan (61), Aqib Iqbal (46), and skipper Taran Chana (33) set North Leeds up nicely in their reply, but they were soon undone by Ilkley’s bowlers, losing five wickets for just 27 runs to see them fall narrowly short of their target.

Elsewhere, Addingham picked up the maximum 20 with a five-wicket win at home to Bilton, who are struggling to regain their early-season form.

An 83-run partnership between Jamie Bryant (67) and Cameron Martin (39) formed the bulk of the visitors’ 196, with Ricky Palacio (5-65) and Dan Ellis (3-22) impressing with the ball.

But despite losing two quick wickets, middle-order Edward Croft (46 no) and Palacio (34) saw Addingham home comfortably with overs to spare.

Olicanian remain in the relegation zone, despite claiming maximum points after easing to a seven-wicket win at home to last-placed Horsforth.

Elliot Mason (55) was one of just three batters to make double figures in the visitors’ below-par 141, with change bowler Mohammed Nadim (6-48) starring with the ball.

The hosts needed only half their overs to reach their target, despite the loss of early wickets, with brothers Tom (58 no) and Harry Smallwood (55 no) contributing the majority.

It was seventh heaven for Division Two leaders New Rover as they put a poor Colton Institute side to the sword at the Richmond Oval.

Batting first, the hosts made a competitive 237-9 thanks to opener Adam Patel (59), Rohan Ratnalingam (33), and a late charge from tailenders Minhaj Patel (22) and Mohammed Khan (20 no), with Colton’s Jonathan Horner taking 3-56.

The magnificent Aqsad Ali (7-23) made light work of the Colton line-up, with opener Darren Precious (32) one of only four batters to make double figures in their reply of just 125.

Horsforth Hall Park moved into the second promotion spot after thrashing Steeton by 198 runs.

Stephen Wilkinson notched his highest score of the season with a spectacular 105 from just 72 deliveries – including 15 fours and three sixes – with Joe Greaves and Michael Kelsey adding 64 and 40 respectively, to help Hall Park to a fantastic 306-6.

Steeton started poorly in their reply until a 42-run partnership between James Robinson (29) and Mat Nutter (24) steadied the ship, but John Brough (4-25) and Ricky Halloran (3-35) soon won through with the ball, taking seven wickets for just five runs to bowl the visitors out for a sub-standard 108.

Pool remain third by just three points after they fell to a disappointing eight-wicket defeat at fourth-placed Tong Park Esholt.

The visitors owed much of their 170 to middle-order Rob Goldthorp (37), Dan Gallagher (29), and Will Cooper (27), with extras also adding 30, as Tong Park skipper David Hester and Fawad Maqsood picked up four wickets apiece.

Tong Park reached their target with overs to spare, Hester and Maqsood continuing their fine individual displays, to finish on 59 not out and 53 not out respectively.