Yeadon skipper Dave Leather surprised many when he elected to field first on a shirt front batting track at Undercliffe on Saturday. I suppose eyebrows were raised even higher when his side's four-match unbeaten run came to an end at Under-cliffe by 67 runs.

Leather said: "We are a good chasing side. Apart from last week against manningham Mills the games we have won recently have been when we are chasing."

Those victories came against Lightcliffe and Bowling Old Lane, while only the rain robbed them of reaching their target against Esholt.

"Looking at Undercliffe, their batting is far better than their bowling. I thought if we could keep them to 230 we had a good chance of getting them," added Leather.

His counterpart, former Yeadon junior Craig Hunt, was without bowlers James Cook (playing with the Yorkshire Academy) and Munir Khaliq (work commitments).

Hunt admitted his surprise at being asked to bat first.

"I couldn't believe it to tell you the truth. But to be fair, they bowled very well early doors," he said.

The home side made the most of their opportunity to post the division's highest total of the day, reaching 273 for five.

James Clarke made his maiden century for the club in a second wicket stand of 131 with David Taylor, who made 94 off only 83 balls, which included 5 sixes.

Leather's plan to restrict the hosts might have paid off if two sharp chances had been caught. James Todd dropped Taylor on 12 while Steve Cobley put down a difficult catch when Clarke was on 20.

A late cameo from former Esholt wicketkeeper John Barton saw the Intake Road side easily claim maximum batting points.

He hit a six off the last ball of the innings to end with 36 off only 13 balls.

For Yeadon, off-spinner Saif Malik stood out, producing 14 economical overs despite bowling at the death'.

At 37 for three in reply, the visitors were always up against it, especially with prolific overseas player Amir Sajjad back in the tent for only 17.

They were not about to roll over and the next three partnerships were worth 57, 36 and 50 respectively. However, with the rate required continuing to climb, Undercliffe took wickets at key times to keep the upper hand.

A piece of quick thinking by wicket-keeper Barton saw him catch Malik out of his ground after a big lbw appeal from Taylor which made it 94 for four.

Then a sharp caught and bowled chance was taken by Ben Heritage to end a gutsy 48 by opener Steve Lawrence.

And when Leather nicked a short ball from Arun Lal, victory looked beyond Yeadon at 180 for six and less than ten overs left.

The tail didn't last long as Lal and Heritage, who took two wickets in two balls, mopped up to give Undercliffe a maximum 20 points and move them up to third in the table.

Despite the comfortable margin of victory, Hunt was impressed with Yeadon.

He said: "They don't deserve to be where they are. They play good cricket. A lot of people would have looked at that game and thought it would be easy for Undercliffe - a side near the top against a side near the bottom - but that wasn't the case. I think they had one or two injuries early doors which set them back.

"There was always going to be a partnership somewhere and Steve Lawrence batted well. Getting the overseas player out early was crucial. We made sure we bowled tight lines from then and starved them of runs."

Richard Whitehurst was at his bludgeoning best for Esholt at Windhill. He reached his century in only 45 balls, hitting 15 fours and ten sixes as his side reached 200 for none in just 22.2 overs.

He finished with a brilliant 153 not out while Khalid Mehmood had very much the supporting role at the other end with 29 not out. Dean Skillicorn conceded 34 runs off his only over. Windhill had been 76 for seven but got to 198 for nine thanks to Skillicorn (75, including 11 fours and three sixes) and Avanish Aware (47), who added 119 for the eighth wicket.

Yeadon seconds lost by three wickets to visiting Keighley. Yeadon made 121-9 with the in form Jon Carey making 56. Yeadon's understerngth side struggled against A Coppen who bowled well for Keighley to bag 5-22. Keighley then knocked off the runs for the loss of seven wickets, Carey taking 3-39 and Steve Gilks 3-27.