VICTORIES for Saltaire and Olicanian clinched their promotion from Aire-Wharfe League Division Three, though they still have to sort out who will go up as champions.

After a defeat the previous week, Saltaire couldn’t afford another slip, especially as they were up against Green Lane, the side who presented the biggest challenge.

Adeel Ashraf (3-40) and Hammad Ul Hassan (3-43) steadied nerves with a series of breakthroughs but they couldn’t shift opener Waleed Akhtar, who carried his bat to an unbeaten 82.

Along the way he found a few promising partnerships, the turning point coming when Phil Atkinson was run out on 14 after the pair had put on 46.

Tail-enders Chris Spivey (14) and Michael Ellis (15) provided a late flourish but too many ducks meant that Lane could only reach 144.

That looked as though it might be enough when Neil Britton (3-39) and Azhar Mahmood (4-35) had Saltaire struggling at 87-7.

Top scorer Marcus Richardson (46) was next out at 114 but Humare Amjad (26no) and skipper Usman Munir (13no) saw them across the line and with it promotion in their first season in the league.

Olicanian had a slightly more comfortable afternoon, Ed Broadley putting them in the driving seat with a 6-27 haul as Bardsey crashed out for 111.

The home side lost five wickets on the way to victory but Chris Meehan (32) and Daren Murray (44no) ensured they returned to the second tier after a five-year absence.

There was no pressure at Menston, and David Heslop (108no) and Zarshad Khan (102no) enjoyed an end-of-season romp, putting on a league-record seventh-wicket stand of 176 as their side raced to 301-6.

Josh Brooksbank hit 67 in the reply but Harden were bowled out for 172, with Amer Ayoub picking up 5-48.

Sam Lawrence (4-22) and Christiaan Opperman (3-19) starred as Bolton Villas skittled out Alwoodley for 84 on the way to a two-wicket win.

Skipton are in danger of joining Thackley as the replacements for Saltaire and Olicanian from Division Two as they went down to a six-wicket defeat by relegation rivals Leeds Modernians after being dismissed for 104.

Addingham are still not mathematically safe after leaders Adel beat them by 208 runs to clinch promotion to the top flight.

Jan-Harm Moolman did all the damage scoring 157 and taking 4-6.

Shane Wineti steered Ben Rhydding a step closer to promotion, taking 5-37 and linking up with Henry Barrow (4-25) to dismiss Hall Park for 136 and then scoring an unbeaten 50 to ensure the four-wicket win.

But they face a challenge from Follifoot, who skittled out Steeton for 83 in their latest victory.

Gareth Wilkinson scored 89 not out in Tong Park Esholt’s 225-6, and with Muhammad Khan taking 5-50 the visitors looked odds-on winners, but Ally Long hit 72 and Christopher Coates 35 as Calverley got home by one wicket.

Thackley suffered their 17th defeat but can take some encouragement that they didn’t crumble when Kirkstall piled up 345-9, in which Shane Marshall took six wickets.

Umer Farooq led the reply with 133 and Thackley posted a score of 284.

Beckwithshaw’s 20-point deduction means Otley have a great chance of overhauling them when the sides meet on Saturday.

It could finally all come down to bonus points, and relegated Colton did Otley a favour by restricting the leaders to just one batting point when they bowled them out for 127.

They came close to pulling off a shock win, only to be thwarted by Alex Lilley (5-26) and Taylor Williams (4-22).

Meanwhile, David Hester (52) and George Huntley (36) ensured Otley reached 200-9 to pick up four batting points, and with Chris Thompson (5-46) again in deadly form, Rawdon could only struggle to 161 in which Marcus Berryman scored a half-century.

Openers James Thistlethwaite (113) and Lee Gordon (81) put Guiseley on the way to 266-5, and even though Burley’s middle order – led by Ed Brown (63) - battled hard, they still lost by 35 runs.

There was a thrilling finish at Pool, where Bilton looked set to defend a meagre 116 when the home side collapsed to 49-8, but tail-enders Cameron Duncan (24), Louie Williams (22), Will Pallister (25no) and David Amos (12no) clawed their way to victory.

Oliver Hardaker (52) and Charlie Swallow (48no) top-scored in Horsforth’s 206, and Michael Lambert took 4-34 as Collingham went down by 34 runs, a result that confirmed their relegation.

Paul Dover included a hat-trick in his 5-37 as North Leeds were bowled out for 145 but Aftab Kharim (8-24) halted the Ilkley reply, and the home side celebrated surviving the drop with a win.