OTLEY are the only side to remain unbeaten in the Aire-Wharfe League Division One, thanks in no small part to newly-elected chairman Alex Atkinson.

His career-best 130 not out formed the backbone of their 293-4, with Damon Reeve (6-53) cleaning up with the ball as hosts Beckwithshaw were bowled out for 244, despite both Joe Holderness and Miles Buller scoring half-centuries.

Behind them, it was second versus third as Rawdon travelled to free-scoring Addingham, where the hosts came out on top.

James Dobson (74) and George Myers (54) notched the majority of the visitors’ 231 before both falling victim to the impressive Ricky Palacio (5-65), who then hit 69 to help his side to a four-wicket win with just eight balls to spare.

Burley-in-Wharfedale are fourth after Danger Hastings (59) and the returning Red Bolton (42) helped them to 214 against Bilton, a total they defended by 66 runs thanks to James Mukherjee (5-71), despite Jaques Allen’s half-century.

Ilkley had the largest winning margin, though their 148-run thrashing of visitors North Leeds was not enough to move them off the foot of the table.

Wicketkeeper Will Spivey (104 no), James Raper (87), and Terry Pattinson (75) were all on song as the hosts posted 295-3, with Aqib Iqbal’s 37 as good as it got for Leeds in their reply of just 147.

Middle-order Charlie Swallow also scored an unbeaten century of his own in a similarly high-scoring match between New Rover and Collingham & Linton at the Richmond Oval, with his 106 not out seeing the visitors defend 302-7 by just 28 runs.

Elsewhere, John Brough (5-68) impressed for Horsforth Hall Park but he couldn’t prevent them from falling to defeat at home to Saltaire, spin twins Mussawar Shah (5-22) and Mutashan Ali Shah (3-23) bowling the hosts out for 72 runs short of their target.

Leaders Pool suffered a setback in their hunt for promotion from Division 2, falling to a shock defeat at 11th placed Colton Institute.

Neither Krutik Patel nor Will Pallister could perform with the bat as the title favourites were bowled out for a below-par 118, with Liam Mostert taking 3-32 before scoring an unbeaten 56 to propel his side to victory in the 38th over.

That opened the opportunity for Tong Park Esholt to close the gap, and they did so in style with a seven-wicket win at home to Bardsey.

Middle-order Tom Franklin (87) saw the visitors make a competitive 235-8, a total that Esholt chased down with four overs remaining thanks to skipper Dave Hester (74), Taseer Javed (67), and Fawad Maqsood (48 no).

Horsforth were also celebrating, with Mitch Bunker (4-39) helping the Leeds side pick up their first league win since September 2020 at home to third-placed Follifoot, defending their total of 220 by just 12 runs.

Cammy Knowles (59), Mat Nutter (53), and Jack Ramage (51) saw Steeton post 293-7 against Calverley at Summerhill Lane, with Nutter (3-41) and Ryan Ridehalgh (3-31) seeing them home by 61 runs.

Rhys Davey (7-34) shone as Adel stormed to a 10-wicket win at Harden, with Tom Harrison (84no) and Patrick Coughlin (47 no) helping them chase down 162 in the 33rd over.

The only other match saw Olicanian fall to a 24-run defeat at a resurgent Green Lane, with Harry Smallwood (5-67) and Asif Yousaf (5-36) the standout bowlers for either side.

Division 3 leaders Kirkstall Educational posted Saturday’s largest total, a mammoth 417-5 at home to Ilkley II.

Amjid Hussain’s a-run-a-ball 128 and Muhammed Ibtesam Ul Haq’s blistering 130 from 79 deliveries contributed over half of that, with Ben Button (3-98) and Andy Wheeler (2-111) the only ones to break through with the ball.

Ilkley were then bowled out for 203, Ul Haq (4-31), and Wahab Hussain (3-31) the best of the bowlers.

Bolton Villas are 23 points further back, with Shezad Aslam (128), Junaid Bashir (87 no), and Mahboob Hussain (6-60) starring in their 134-run win at Rawdon II.

Thackley round out the top three after their three-wicket victory against Menston at the Fox, with Safwatt Shehzad (4-51) and Mohammed Shoaib (3-29) ensuring that the hard work was done before tea, despite the best efforts of Sarfraz Ahmed (5-49).  REPORT BY: EMMA KENNEDY