JAMIE Pickering hit a stunning century as Otley retained their Division One title after beating Beckwithshaw by 55 runs and overtaking them on the final day of the season.

Otley, who started the day six points behind their opponents, finished it seven points ahead of them after Pickering’s heroics enabled them to score an impressive 172-3 in a match reduced due to rain to a 20-overs contest.

After sharing an opening stand of 78 with Ben Morley (39), Pickering cut loose with ten fours and six sixes in an unbeaten 109 off just 60 balls

Australian Sam Blake removed Beckwithshaw’s openers with only 16 on the board and with James Davies and Ricky Halloran made sure the home side were never able to reach the run rate required. They were finally restricted to 117-5 and Otley could start to celebrate.

Although they had not been in the Second Division top two all season, Pool’s late run put only a point behind opponents Skipton in the race to join Horsforth in Division One next year.

Skipton were quickly on the back foot with only Steve Carling (52) managing to control the conditions. Sam Wilkinson produced a devastating 5.3-over spell of 5-12, which included two wickets in three balls at one stage and he finished off the 94-run innings with two in two.

Pool didn’t find batting much easier. The lost their first wicket at one and when they had only ten on the board, Shahid Nadeem struck twice in three balls. John Goldthorp (27) managed to steady things but wickets kept tumbling and it took a seventh-wicket stand of 20 between Adil Mehmood and skipper Ben Platt to clinch the win and promotion a year after being relegated.

At the other end of the table, Harden escaped relegation when their match at Ben Rhydding was called off.

Tong Park Esholt will be dropping into Division Three with Green Lane, buit they did put up a brave performance while losing their final game to Knaresborough.

Tong Park Esholt were restricted to 77-8 but hit back to reduce their rivals to 33-6 before Dan Girling (45no) saw Knaresborough to victory.

The tension at the top of Division Three was tangible with four teams battling it out for the two promotion places.

Defeat the previous week had reduced Addingham’s lead to five points and they faced in-form Hall Park.

Things quickly went Addingham’s way. Nathan Harford picked up 4-32 and Rob Ellis 5-50, including three in one over to round off Park’s innings at 136.

Openers Will Atkins and Ricky Palacio steadied any nerves with a half-century stand and Atkins (76no) and Ben Brearley (31no) clinched the six-wicket win that puts Addingham in the Second Division.

Calverley started the day in third place, two points behind Olicanian. They were expected to beat Bardsey but promotion might depend on how many bonus points they could get along the way.

With only 25 overs, they reached 167-9 and two batting bonuses, largely thanks to a stand of 76 between Naveed Panesar (43) and Jatinder Singh who smashed six sixes in making 57 in 33 balls.

Panesar then took three wickets as the home side were bowled out for 116, giving Calverley a season total of 281 points.

Knowing that every point could be vital, second-placed Olicanian gambled on batting out their full 50 overs against promotion rivals New Rover. With a sparkling 54no from Dave Britton, they reached 219-7 and four precious batting points.

They now needed to bowl out New Rover quickly and Harry Smallwood (4-17) and Scott Sanderson (3-11) reduced the home side to 99-9 but the last pair batted out the final three balls and Olicanian fell an agonising one wicket and four points short of promotion.

Only a few other games beat the rain. Rob Spivey took three wickets and top scored with 30no as Ilkley recovered from 86-5 to pass North Leeds’ 130 with four wickets in hand.

Ed Brown (70no) was Burley’s hero as they beat Rawdon by four wickets but Steeton found Toby Jacklin (5-9) and Chris Bridge (5-18) almost unplayable and were dismissed for 86 on the way to an eight-wicket defeat tlo Collingham.

Green Lane, whose relegation was hastened by a points’ deduction for an ineligible player, ended with a 57-run defeat at Colton, despite the efforts of No7 Ian Hawkridge (36no).

Sam Lawrence (5-11) and Adam Sutcliffe (3-22) bowled out Old Modernians for 121 and Luke Stockill (62no) clinched a three-wicket win for Bolton Villas.