TIMING is the essence of comedy, they say, but two relegation-threatened clubs didn’t find it funny when timing denied them valuable points in very different ways.

Bottom of Division One Guiseley had Burley struggling at 167-8 in reply to their own 201-5 and were just three balls away from victory when the heavens opened and forced the game to be abandoned, costing them seven points that would have taken them out of the bottom two.

In contrast at Tong Park Esholt, Skipton’s Kevin Owens’ winning shot to the boundary had hardly crossed the ropes when the storm broke and sent the players scurrying for shelter. A few minutes earlier and the home side would have picked up an extra three points for an abandoned game.

By such margins can fate swing especially on an afternoon that started brightly enough but saw rain move in later to put bonus points at a premium.

Guiseley’s only consolation was that with half centuries from Jamie Davey and Joe Reed they scored enough to pick up four batting bonus points. The eight wickets they took in Burley’s innings, which included 51 from Sami Rehman, were worth another four, enabling them to climb above Follifoot who were defeated at Steeton.

Ilkley are only three points above the drop zone after an abandoned game at leaders Otley. As so often this season Jamie Pickering (63) and James Davies (50no) led the way in Otley’s 203-9 total which saw veteran Dave Pennett take 7-42. Ilkley were 134-4 when the game ended with Jibrael Malik going strong on 54.

Otley picked up nine points in all, one better than second placed Beckwithshaw in their washed out game at Rawdon. Kuda Samuderu (62) top scored in Rawdon’s 186-8 but things looked ominous for the home side until the rain with Ben Quick and Yasar Ali smashing 85 in 64 balls before being halted at 134-3.

Skipton’s timely boost to their Division Two title hopes at the expense of Tong Park Esholt was largely thanks to a century stand between Richard Nichols (88) and Kevin Owens (54no).

Second placed Horsforth moved a step closer to successive promotions with a comfortable win at Ben Rhydding. Mark Gilliver (55) was top scorer in their 198-9 before Gareth Lee produced a devastating 6-12 spell to dismiss the home side for 70.

Pool remain in the promotion chase after Ben Platt (4-13) and Sam Wilson (3-34) skittled out Illingworth for 83 to set up a four-wicket win.

At the other end of the table, Harden breathed a sigh of relief as victory over Thackley lifted them a bit further away from the bottom two. With Jonathan Rudge (4-24) and Shane Marshall (4-39) in top form, it took a ninth-wicket stand of 40 between Scott Harley and Andy Bailey to get Harden to 111. But 4-23 from Paul Quinlan kept Thackley on the back foot and they were dismissed for 99.

Green Lane remain bottom after what looked like a nailed-on win over Adel was washed out. Waleed Akhtar (69), Andy Lee (61) and Azhar Mehmood (50no) starred in their 234-7 and Akthar took 4-24 as Adel slumped to 103-6 before rain intervened.

Addingham and Olicanian stretched their lead at the top of Division Three with wins while their rivals had their games abandoned

Ricky Palacio (53 & 4-20) and Nathan Harford (52 & 3-27) starred as Addingham passed Alwodley’s 154 with five wickets in hand

A spell of 5-45 from Ed Broadley helped dismiss Bardsey for 126 and send Olicanian on the way to a five-wicket win.

Jatinder Singh’s 6-42 saw Hall Park dismissed for 140 with Gary Walton scoring 52. But Jonathan Postle (3-28) and James Carlill (3-11) responded in kind and it was Calverley who were relieved when the rain came, struggling on 85-7

Charlie Parker (40) was top scorer in Menston’s 190, with Matthew Shuttleworth taking 4-55. But Silsden’s miserable run continued, Ashley Close (7-23) and Parker (3-35) sending them crashing out for 60.

David Bayne picked up 5-28 as Upper Wharfedale were dismissed for 124, setting up a five wicket win for Bolton Villas.