THE Aire-Wharfe League title race was thrown wide open with Pool inflicting the first defeat on leaders Beckwithshaw and struggling North Leeds pipping second-placed Burley, raising the hopes of third-placed Otley, who made short work of Colton.

It looked like another easy day at the office for Beckwithshaw when they bowled out Pool for 129, a total that owed much to a late-order rally from John Goldthorp (21), Sam Wilkinson (18) and Ollie Boggie (14no).

The visitors didn’t find batting any easier, however, with David Amos dismissing skipper Alex Lilley for a duck third ball and Wilkinson keeping them on the back foot with a 4-36 spell.

Ben Quick (46) looked to be building a match-winning partnership with Stuart Hudson but Ryan Sharrocks struck twice in three balls, and Beckwithshaw were still 15 runs short of victory when Will Pallister wrapped things up by bowling Quick.

Ed Brown (85) and Red Bolton (65) led the way as Burley posted 283-8 against a North Leeds side that had only passed the 200 mark once this season.

And with Shane Etherington picking up 5-60, Burley looked set make a big dent in the gap to Beckwithshaw but No 8 batsman Barry Singleton smashed three fours and four sixes in racing to 49 not out in 25 balls and clinching victory with two wickets and three balls to spare.

Otley had a much more routine day, James Davies (59), Stephen Brown (53) and Matt O’Grady (61) leading the way as they set a 258-9 target, and Chris Thompson (5-29) and Brown (3-71) dismissing Colton for 170.

That moves Otley to within three points of Burley and 21 of Beckwithshaw, who no longer appear as invincible.

In the first of their two weekend clashes, Ilkley grabbed the psychological advantage when Rob Spivey (5-34) and Henry Wilson (4-47) dismissed Bilton for 101, a total Jonathan Hughes (50no) and Alex Bailey (40no) had no problem in passing.

Having languished in the relegation zone for much of the season, Horsforth extended their winning run to five matches with victory over Rawdon and moved into the top half of the table.

Corey Barsby was their top scorer with 83 not out as they reached 212-6 and, despite a late flourish from Harry Nicholson (30no) and James Harding (34), Rawdon never looked like challenging.

Richard Nichols (71no) was the main contributor to Guiseley’s 192-7 and, despite a century from Kuda Samunderu, Collingham fell 16 short and remain bottom.

Thackley fell further adrift at the bottom of Division Two, beaten by six wickets by leaders Adel despite the efforts of Umar Farooq (50) and Andrew Parratt (4-20).

The leaders now have a 26-point advantage over second-placed Ben Rhydding, who were bowled out for 116 by Kirkstall, who then eased home by seven wickets.

Oliver Musgrave (51no) was Ben Rhydding’s only outstanding performer, and they only hung on to second place because Addingham pulled off a shock win over Follifoot, one of three victories by sides in the bottom four.

Ricky Palacio (4-44) and Ted Haggas (3-53) restricted Follifoot to 171, and Haggas (31) and Danny Ellis (42) made sure of the win.

A seventh-wicket stand of 85 between Majid Inayat (58no) and Iqbal Khan (64) and 49 from Adam Hardwick were the highlights of Skipton’s 245-7 and, even though David Robinson and Andrew Foulds responded with half-centuries for Steeton, they couldn’t stop Skipton picking up their third win of the season.

Chris Coates included a hat-trick in his 6-52 spell that dismissed Hall Park for 162, No 9 Denis Rock (33no) being the top scorer.

Calverley looked on course to overtake that but Liam Johnston was run out for a 57 that included ten fours, and Dan Kastelik took 5-22 as the home side slumped to 134.

Tong Park Esholt only managed to scrape together 95 runs thanks to a last-wicket partnership of 36 between Mahir Ali (43) and Mick Scott.

The pair then teamed up again, with Ali taking 4-22 and Scott 3-30 to bowl out Leeds Modernians for 90.

Olicanian and Saltaire pulled further away at the top of Division Three with comfortable wins over New Rover and Alwoodley.

Tom Smallwood (52) and brother Harry (7-23) starred as Olicanian dismissed the visitors for 114 in reply to their own 199-9.

Humare Amjad (73no) and Adeel Ashraf, who followed up a knock of 38 with 5-22, were the main contributors for Saltaire.

The top two were given a lift by Bolton Villas, who beat promotion hopefuls Bardsey by 50 runs.

Opener Andrew Clarke (50) led the way in Villas’ 208, and the attack of Sam Lawrence (4-28) and Junaid Bashir (4-45) shot out Bardsey for 158.

St Chads Broomfield set a useful 225 target, despite Neil Britton’s 5-62, but Britton (53) and Waleed Akhtar (79) clinched the victory that keeps Green Lane in with a chance of challenging the leaders.