James Davies celebrates ten-wicket record

But his Otley team-mates found it difficult to cash in, only just scraping past a 72 target thanks to a last-wicket stand of 15 between Matt O’Grady and John Brough.

Davies’ spectacular 10.2-over spell, which included five maidens, equalled the league record set by Tony Crowther for Guiseley against Horsforth in 1972.

He became the 11th Aire-Wharfe player to complete the ten-wicket feat, stretching back to A Roo and A Laycock in 1937 – including Yorkshire and England legend Hedley Verity in 1941 and, most recently, Mike Baxendall (2004), Shane Franklin and Richard Harrison (both 2006).

Batting was clearly tricky and Davies was one of five Otley players failing to register in reply as Will Liddle took 8-45.

They were struggling at 11-4 before Josh Atkinson and James Wilcock put on 32 for the fifth wicket and help them gradually claw their way to six Division One points from a dramatic afternoon’s cricket.

On any other Saturday, several players would have had claims for performance of the day – including Ross Sedgley of Beckwithshaw, who included 30 boundaries in an unbeaten 164 out of a 266-2 total as the runaway top-flight leaders took five points from Follifoot (155-2).

Or Steeton’s Mark Taylor, who smashed 84 not out off 58 balls – including five of his eight sixes in one over – but still could not prevent his side going down by 57 runs at Collingham (197-9) after they were all out for 140.

Then there was Nick Brook, whose 15-over spell of 5-15 included nine maidens as Burley bowled out Guiseley for 138 on the way to a seven-wicket win that keeps them in second place.

Robbie Miller (81) and Charlie Swallow (54) put on 117 to help Ben Rhydding to 202-5 before Alex Miller (4-12) and Henry Barrow (3-22) dismissed Harden for 86, the last five men going down for the addition of just eight runs.

Thackley continued their impressive recent form to narrow the gap on Division Two leaders Knaresborough (174), who could only take four points at struggling Colton (137-9).

Nasser Jamal (4-31) restricted North Leeds to 156 and even though Thackley lost Majid Khan in the second over, Chris Luxton (64no) and Yasser Ali (80no) saw them home.

Rawdon moved up to third even though they made hard work of it after Geoff Myers (5-26) and John Hughes (3-22) dismissed Bardsey for 125.

Openers James Milligan and Paul Malkin put Rawdon halfway to the target but there were only two wickets left as they crossed the line.

Lee Margerison (87) and Mike Oldfield (6-62) were the Bolton Villas (206-7) heroes as they beat Green Lane, for whom Michael Abbott hit 62 in a 180 total.

Half-centuries from Alex Bailey and Danny Bott allowed Ikley to declare at 216-9 but bottom team Calverley showed plenty of fight and came close to victory before having to settle for two points on 207-8.

Sean Kirkley celebrated his promotion to Tong Park Esholt’s first team with a man-of-the-match performance, taking 5-39 and then crashing 42 off 21 balls to clinch a three-wicket victory over Adel (123).

Addingham made things tight at the top of Division Three by beating joint-leaders Horsforth, who could only manage 135 (Mark Gilliver 63). Ricky Palacio (4-33) and Joe Midgley (3-30) did the damage, with Daryl Robinson (40no) and Rory Stead (32no) clinching the seven-wicket win.

For a long time it looked as though Skipton, the other joint leaders, would suffer a similar fate as they struggled to match New Rover’s 183, in which Gary Owens took 5-41. But then Izaak Beck crashed 11 fours in an unbeaten 71 to put his side six points clear at the top after a two-wicket verdict.

They are pursued by five clubs separated by only four points – including Olicanian (143-9), who routed Silsden for 88 with Chris Wheeler taking 6-16.

Hall Park lifted themselves out of the bottom two as they skittled Menston for 38 in reply to 249-9, Jonathan Postle taking five cheap wickets to become yet another who – but for Davies – might have been acclaimed as player of the day.