NICKY Bulcock was the hero of the day as Burley maintained their winning start to the season with a comfortable victory at Collingham.

Bulcock hit 89 and together with Ed Brown (76) and Jason Wright (47) put Burley on the way to 247-8.

He then picked up three cheap wickets and with Shane Etherington (4-56) dismissed the home side for 190.

That puts Burley level on points with Beckwithshaw, who continued their winning run at Horsforth but thanks to Matthew Kitson’s 8-38 spell, failed to take full batting bonus points for the first time this season.

Kitson also scored 32 in Horsforth’s reply which was never fully recovered after the first three wickets fell for 36 runs.

James Thistlethwaite hit a century and with Stewart Smith (42) helped Guiseley to 260-7 but they still went down to their first defeat of the season at Pool.

Openers Charlie Bell (51) and David Paynter, whose 132 included 16 fours and four sixes, put on 152 and Patrick Dixon (51no) clinched Pool’s six-wicket win.

Ilkley beat Rawdon by 65 runs despite losing three wickets in five balls and slumping to 99-7 when they batted first.

They were revived by a ninth-wicket stand of 62 between former Nottinghamshire player Dave Pennett and Paul Dover.

Pennett made 42 and Dover (22) as Ilkley recovered to post a total of 197. The best Rawdon bowler was Marcus Berryman (4-40).

Pennett followed up by taking 4-25 and was supported by Rob Spivey (3-39) as Rawdon were dismissed for 132.

Otley find themselves in the alien surroundings of the bottom half of the table, losing by 25 runs at Bilton despite bowling out their opponents for 153 with Stephen Brown taking 5-57.

In Division Two, Ally Long (67) and a late flourish from Ben Waller (30) and Dan Holah (38no) saw in-form Calverley set a 221-7 target which looked as though it might be enough when Ben Rhydding slipped to 149-6.

But opener Shane Wineti stood firm and hit an unbeaten 100. Rob Withers (30no) gave him support as victory was achieved with an over to spare.

Ricky Palacio had a day to remember, taking 6-41 in Hall Park’s 135, in which Tom Woodley scored a half century, and then hitting an undefeated 77 as Addingham cruised home by eight wickets.

Adel look like the side to beat in this division and even four wickets each from James Mukharjee and Iqbal Khan couldn’t stop them racing to 292 with Jan Moolman making 147. Skipton could only manage 121 in reply.

Despite John Akrigg’s half century, Steeton were never in the hunt against Kirkstall’s 327-9 which included a double century from Steve Wilkinson.

Four wickets from Fawad Maqsood couldn’t prevent a strong Follifoot side reaching 237-9 before Istikhar Hussain and Josh Cutts each too 5-29 to skittle out Tong Park Esholt for 62.

And it looks like being a long, hard summer for Thackley after Leeds Modernians dismissed them for 54 to leave them already 27 points behind third from bottom after only three games.

Saltaire are the only Division Three side with a 100 per cent record after they chased down the 233-9 total of their fellow league new boys St Chads Broomfield, in which Usman Munir took 6-62. Opener Humare Anjad (54) set the platform and No7 Adeel Ashraf (82no) rounded things off in style with six fours and seven sixes.

Azhar Mahmood (65) and a spirited 96 in 71 balls from Philip Atkinson were the highlights of Green Lane’s 249-5 before Mahmood (6-52) turned destroyer and, despite the efforts of Tom Watson (80), Olicanian were bowled out for 245 with two balls to spare.

Amer Ayoub (69) and Phil Raikes (53) led the way in Menston’s 279-8 and Ayoub picked up three wickets as Bardsey were bowled out eight runs short of victory.