It could be some time before Steeton work out how they got mugged by Rawdon and threw away an Aire-Wharfe League win that would have seen them take over top spot in Division One.

It all started according to plan. Andrew Foulds scored his third half-century of the young season, Neil Spragg (63) and Andrew Luxton (44no) put on 95 for the fifth wicket and Jonathan Best rounded things off by smashing 21 in nine balls to take Steeton to 232-5.

It got even better as Stephen Pearson and Ross Suri tore through the first six Rawdon batsmen with only 59 on the board. But then Rawdon produced a finish that fiction writers would not dare present to their readers for fear of being mocked.

Andrew Doidge (48) and Jake Hodges (38) put on a defiant 87 for the seventh wicket. Shane Franklin (45no) and Andrew’s nephew James Doidge (38) then built on that in a 71-run stand and entered the final over needing seven to win.

Pearson bowled Doidge with the first ball, then David Gilks and Franklin scrambled four between them, leaving Franklin needing three off the final ball. He duly swung it for six and Rawdon celebrated their first win of the season.

Ben Rhydding also broke their losing start thanks to a brilliant display by Charlie Swallow. He hit 74 of their 209-8, in which Nadim Hussain picked up 5-37. Swallow then produced a 13.4-over spell of 5-35 to dismiss Guiseley for 172 and take his side out of the bottom two.

Six Otley bowlers picked up wickets as leaders Ilkley collapsed, with only an eighth-wicket stand of 31 between Ian Chaplin and Andy Wheeler taking them to 108. Ben Morley (68no) saw Otley home with nine wickets to spare and put them in top spot.

Ed Brown smashed 102 off 79 balls in Burley’s 202 but ended up on the losing side as Bilton reached their target with four wickets in hand.

Richard Nichols top-scored with 91 in Skipton’s 224-4 before Andrew Fergie (6-46) dismissed Thackley for 140, leaving them adrift at the bottom of Division Two.

Danny Bell (5-58) helped restrict Adel to 202 but Tong Park Esholt were unable to recover after losing three cheap wickets in the middle of their innings and they were bowled out seven short of victory.

Green Lane (119) were the latest victims of a Follifoot (121-2) team who look set to storm away with the division, while Bolton Villas (144) were second best against Colton (233-7).

Having been skittled for 54, Harden gave North Leeds a scare when Matthew Hogg picked up four cheap wickets but the total was just too low to defend.

Sabir Khan (73) and Iqbal Khan (59) helped Division Three leaders Silsden recover from 13-4 to 181, before Iqbal (4-28) and Gulsheraz Ahmed (4-41) clinched victory by bowling out New Rover for 120.

Mark Gilliver (118no) and Leon Harber (93no) powered Horsforth to 278-1 before Mahir Ali (6-31) dismissed Bardsey for 113.

That took Horsforth above second-placed Illingworth, who suffered their first defeat when going down by 38 runs after a 6-28 spell from Calverley’s Jonathan Hudson.

An unbeaten 34 from Nick Thornton clinched Menston’s win over Hall Park to ease them away from the basement but Addingham’s woes continue, going down by six wickets at Alwoodley.

The only side below them are Woodhouse (55), who were thrashed by Olicanian (172-4) as Chris Wheeler (50), Dave Britton (64no) and Ben Rhodes (4-25) starred.