STEETON may not have won in the Aire-Wharfe League Premier Division on Saturday, but their eight-run defeat at perennial title contenders Otley showed that the top-flight new boys belong in the highest tier.

The visitors won the toss and chose to field, skipper Steve Pearson finishing with 4-66 off 9.5 overs, being the bowler with the most wickets but also the worst economy rate in Otley’s 214 all out.

Tidier were Barbadian Tremaine Dowrich (15-5-35-2) and Paul Quinlan (14-2-49-2), while Ewan Johnston also picked up two wickets for 30 from his five overs of spin.

Luke Chapman (52) and Ben Hemsley (58), who both hit seven fours, put on 93 for the third wicket after the early loss of James Robinson and Dowrich, and keeper Adam Smith kept Steeton in the hunt with 43 at No 8.

But with time running out, they lost three wickets for two runs to end up nine runs short of victory with a ball to spare.

That defeat leaves Steeton in second from bottom, but only five points separate them in 11th from North Leeds in fifth.

Skipton notched their first league victory of the season in Division Two, climbing above Rodley to third from bottom after defeating basement boys Leeds Modernians.

Skipton chose to bat at Cookridge and made 182-7, Shahid Nadeem (43) putting on 64 for the first wicket with keeper Malcolm Birks (15).

Skipper Gary Owens (29) then added 62 for the fourth wicket with David Bunyan (41).

Nadeem then took 6-32 and Keir Nelson 2-21 as Mods were dismissed for 137, leaving Skipton winners by 45 runs.