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Ilkley batsman Nick McMahon is watched carefully by Skipton wicketkeeper Rob Walker

Despite the soggy, muddy conditions on many outfields the Airedale and Wharfedale Cricket League season got under way last Saturday.

The League resisted suggestions to postpone their opening day as other leagues had done and although plenty of cricket was played a number of clubs had to cancel and some clubs will be left to assess the damage done on their squares.

Division One new boys Guiseley showed they may well be a force to be reckoned with as their new overseas signing Dean Russ hit a glorious unbeaten century from the number three spot while most of his colleagues struggled in the typically English conditions.

The left hander only really found support from his skipper David Pennett with 27 as Guiseley totalled 181-5.

North Leeds were not prepared to lie down and despite a 4-39 return off 14 overs by the Guiseley skipper they hung on with nine wickets down for a 5-1 share of the spoils.

North Leeds opener Tim Jackson top scored with 69 on a day when fielders donned woolly hats and cricket whites soon became a whiter shade of.... well black!

Fellow Division One returnees Rawdon would not be happy with their start losing by 35 runs to Beckwithshaw who posted 184-5 with solid middle order batting from S Walmsley (68) and S Barker (69no).

Rawdon fell for 149 with new signing Andrew Doidge top scoring with 23.

Burley's 159-8 proved too big a target for Adel who replied with 100 as Burley's young Australian all-rounder Jason Wright weighed in with 4-19 off 14 overs after failing with the bat, He was assisted in mopping up Adel by Nick Brook with 3-41 (he also hit 40 runs), Shane Etherington (2-18 off ten) and N Davies with 1-4. Top scorer for Burley was Mark Harrison with 43.

Pool failed to match Bilton's opening day tally of 162-6 in which Paul Cannings top scored with 73 and opener Chris Heptinstall hit 48. Pool were dismissed for 101 as Heptinstall completed a good day with 3-14 and A Walker bagged 4-21.

New Otley skipper James Davies led a bowling onslaught which saw Kirkstall fall 13 runs short of the modest Otley target of 134.

Davies took 3-33 off a superb 21 overs and had excellent support from Australian Adam Vale with 3-23 off 13 overs. Otley's recruit from Ilkley, opening batsman Alex Bailey, hit their top score of 49.

Green Lane visited Collingham and had to settle for two points from a draw unable to match their hosts 188-6 of which Toby Jacklin made an unbeaten 84.Top scorer for Lane, who were disappointed to be just nine runs from victory at the close, was Indian Vivek Mahajan with 46.

In Division Two New Rover's Allen Brown bagged 7-60 off 25 overs as Steeton were dismissed for 139. New Rover struggled to 124-8 in reply as Gary Boulton took 5-38 and Alex Gledhill 3-20.

Michael Stanford was another opening day centurion making 118 as Follifoot totalled 183-8 against Upper Wharfedale whose much heralded Ollie Uffindall could only muster 20.

The Grassington side finished on 137-8 to share the spoils.

Knaresborough picked up five points from a draw with Harden making 205 all out thanks to 61 from Australian Dale Tormey and 69 from Jonathan Corcoran. Tormey was the star of the show picking up 3-45 off 16 overs as Harden replied with 147-9, Chris Luxton making a half-century.

In Division Three despite an encouraging start to their innings by Michael Sant (33) and new player Tas Malik (10) Ilkley's batting fell away alarmingly on a very slow pitch.

They were dismissed for a mere 75 as the Indian Ajay Rajput mesmerised them with a 4-11 return off 12 overs. He was well supported by Andrew Fergie with 3-6.

Their bowlers were given little chance of disturbing Skipton's reply and they rubbed off the runs with four wickets down, opener Kevin Owens making 28 and A Mahmood 26.

Steve Lawrence bagged 5-30 as Illingworth fell for 125 and his Bolton Villas side went on to struggle in the same manner being dismissed for 109. Doing the damage was South African Pieter Venter with 6-18.

Woodhouse hung on at 119-9 in reply to Addingham,'s 150-3 under new skipper Darrell Robinson.

He top scored with 74 and had support from Oliver Dunn with 35. All-rounder Dunn, who has joined from Halifax League side Thornton, then bagged 3-28 and Richard Hey 4-30.

Menston spinner Charles Dracup was too crafty for the re-vamped Thackley side and his 5-39 off 14 overs saw them put out for 117.

He gave excellent support to opening bowler Richard Taylor who took 4-23. Top scorer for Thackley was their signing from Yeadon Darren Drake who made 33. With South African Abe Smith in good form with an unbeaten 83 Menston coasted to 118-6.

There were stars in second team cricket too with centuries from Bardsey's R Hill (104), New Rovers's Richard Stephens (104) and in the same game Bolton Villas opener Andrew Lee (160no).

There were five wicket hauls by S Ellis (5-10) of Kirkstall, A Williams (5-5) of Pool, P Howker (5-31) of Calverley and B Kuhl (5-36) of Addingham) while 6-29 by R Lockley of Illingworth topped the day's figures.

12:04pm Thursday 24th April 2008

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