Skipton'S struggles continued when they lost a winning position against Beckwithshaw.

They had their hosts struggling at 100 for nine, only to see last wicket pair Stephen Walmsley and Ian Hudson put together an unbeaten stand of 48 off just 44 balls as Beckwithshaw reached 148 for nine.

That looked to be a good score given the state of the wicket and so it proved as six feet four and 17 stone opening bowler John Pridmore began digging it in.

Things went badly from the start for Skipton as three wickets went down by the time the score reached eight.

They were 39 for five when the middle order decided attack was the best form of defence. First Gareth Lee hit a quickfire 18 and then Andrew Roberts came in to give the innings some impetus and at 102 for five Skipton were looking good.

Alas the heavens opened and when it cleared Roberts and Robert Greenwood had just seven overs left to reach the target.

The complexion of the game had changed completely. Eleven runs came off the first over but Greenwood was then run out for 22 and Roberts was caught on the boundary for an excellent 56. Mick Scott, promoted up the order to have a go, was out for one and the skipper then signalled to hold out for one point.

Alas this proved too much of a task and they were all out for 126, their last five wickets going for just 13 runs.

They can feel unfortunate as without the intervention of the weather they probably would have garnered valuable points.

Beckwithshaw: R Beardman c Taylor b Roberts 5, K Hewson c Whitaker b Scott 8, S Howman c Roberts b Scott 34, A Tate lbw Scott 7, R Wilkins c Atkinson b Taylor 13, N Allan c Roberts b Taylor 3, S Walmsley not out 37, A Gott c Hughes b Scott 2, Matthew Baker c Lee b Taylor 4, J Pridmore lbw Scott 2, I Hudson not out 24. Extras 9. Total (9 wkts) 148.

Bowling: M Scott 25-10-44-5, A Roberts 8-2-32-1, M Taylor 17-3-63-3.

Skipton: S Young c Gott b Pridmore 3, M Whitaker c Hewson b Baker 4, S Atkinson lbw Baker 7, M Redhead c Howman b Pridmore 0, G Lee c Allan b Pridmore 18, A Roberts c Hewson b Pridmore 56, R Greenwood run out 22, M Scott b Howman 1, J Hughes not out 10, M Wilson c Bradshaw b Pridmore 0, M Taylor b Howman 1. Extras 4. Total 126.

Bowling: M Baker 9-3-42-2, J Pridmore 14-5-35-5, A Tate 2-0-28-0, S Howman 3.2-0-19-2.

Steeton reached 212-7 and had Guiseley on the rack but could not bowl them out to take maximum points.

Steeton: R Newton b Whitaker 27, H Tennant c Thompson b Paley 57, W Pinniger b Ross 6, N Wilson b Paley 34, M Hodges not out 55, A Smith st Thompson b Paley 13, P Barrett b Paley 2, G Boulton b Paley 1, N Chapman not out 9. Total (7 wkts) 212.

Bowling: A Paley 19-1-76-5; M Brown 12-1-55-0; R Whitaker 9-3-24-1, M Ross 4-0-27-1, I Collihan 6-1-23-0.

Guiseley: M Ross c Barrett b Taylor 40, P Pickles c Barrett b Short 22, S Ross b Boulton 13, C Cooper run out 1, S Thompson c Hedges b Boulton 2, G Woolfden c Short b Boulton 3, I Lockhaun not out 17, R Whitaker st Hedges b Taylor 22, A Paley not out 5. Total (7 wkts) 138.

Andrew Pullen produced his highest score in first team cricket with a superb 84 off 74 balls, including four sixes as Silsden piled up 222-5 against Illingworth.

After being 12-1 David Jackson (29) and Tim Sugden (40) started the recovery but both were out in the space of five balls with the score on 79.

Andrew Knowles soon followed, lbw for five but Pullen and Akrigg then put together a stand of 135 for the sixth wicket, Akrigg finishing unbeaten on 40.

Illingworth were 26-5 against the opening attack of Roberts and Emmott but Silsden could not capture the full six points as Illingworth held on at 102-7.

Neighbours Addingham did Silsden's promotion charge a power of good by beating third place Collingham.

Silsden: D Jackson b Roberts 29, B Walker C Smith b Roberts 0, T Sugden c Ledger b Dixon 40, J Akrigg not out 40, A Knowles lbw Dixon 5, A Pullen b Ledger 84, H Sugden not out 2. Extras 23. Total (5 wkts) 222.

P Roberts 21-4-74-2; R Dixon 21-4-72-2; A Ledger 5-0-39-1; S Holmes 3-0-19-0.

Illingworth: A Ledger c Pullen b Emmott 1, S Holmes lbw Roberts 3, C Fellows c Sugden b Emmott 6, D Brooksby c Akrigg b Emmott 6, R Smith c Sugden b Emmott 7, S Lavery b Roberts 29, J Doterly b Akrigg 4, M Fellows not out 23, D Foulds not out 13. Extras 16. Total (7 wkts) 102.

Bowling: JH Roberts, 14-8-17-2; A Emmott 16-11-17-4; A Pullen 9-4-26-0; M Akrigg 8-3-20-1; A Knowles 3-1-7-0.

Silsden Seconds piled up 218-9 but Guiseley Seconds reached the target for the loss of five wickets. Opener S Tillotson hit 63 and P Bainbridge scored a useful 30 not out at the end of the innings. S Crooks took 3-78 in the reply.

Skipton Seconds were all out for 91 chasing Beckwithshaw's 229 for five, D Butterfield top scoring with 23.

Beckwithshaw: R Knellor b Hussain 20, P Taylor b Rishworth 9, I Bullock b Ullah 23, D Grant b Hussain 31, A Tiffany not out 66, P Hotchkiss b Hussain 54, K Barnes not out 0. Extras 26. Total (5 wkts) 229.

Bowling: S Hussain 21-2-65-3; T Rishworth 10-1-53-1; D Butterfield 5-0-51-0; K Ullah 9-4-25-1; S Rogers 5-0-25-0.

Skipton: M Saghir b Lindsey 15, K Owens c Bullock b Tiffany 12, A Hussain lbw Grant 15, S Hussain lbw Hotchkiss 13, S Rogers c-b Grant 5, D Butterfield c Bullock b Hotchkiss 23, A Rashid c Hotchkiss b Grant 0, K Ullah st Bullock b Grant 0, T Rishworth b Grant 0, C Wordsworth b Hotchkiss 2, A Butterfield not out 1. Extras 5. Total 91.

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