Buoyed up by their fighting performance in the Abbott Ale Cup the day before - see Page 28 - Skipton had a winning draw at home to Steeton in the Aire-Wharfe Cricket League on Monday.

After being asked to bat they set about compiling a decent total, the highlight of which was a majestic innings of 84 by captain Mark Whitaker who received good support from Steve Young, who was unluckily run out for 34, and Sean Atkinson, 32, the side finishing on 214-7.

For Steeton Chris Taylor bowled right through, having figures of 4-72 off 25 overs, four maidens, while Guy Saxton had 12-0-68-1, Neil Spragg 3-0-20-0, Matthew Pinniger 3-0-14-0 and David Short 7-0-32-0.

After the early lose of Robert Wynn, lbw to Mick Scott for nought, Steeton batted steadily with Aussie Pinniger, 55, and youngster Saxton, 26, putting on 73 for the second wicket.

Wickets then began to fall at regular intervals as the required run rate increased, but Mark Hedges, 42, found an eager partner in Andy Smith, 21, and while these two were at the crease a Steeton victory looked possible.

However both were removed by young Matt Taylor, who bowled tremendously well under pressure at the death to finish with 5-51 off 10 overs, no maidens, Steeton settling for two points on 196-8, Skipton of course getting four.

The other Skipton bowling figures were Scott 18-7-50-2, Young 12-0-43-1 and Andy Roberts 10-2-37-0.

Skipton: M Whitaker c Smith b Taylor 84; G Lee c Barrett b Taylor 11; C Nuthall b Taylor 9; S Young run out 34; S Atkinson c Hedges b Taylor 32; M Redhead b Saxton 10; A Roberts run out 17; R Greenwood not out 6; extras 11; total (for 7) 214.

Steeton: M Pinniger c Scott b Taylor 55; R Wynn lbw Scott 0; G Saxton st Redhead b Scott 26; N Spragg c Redhead b Young 13; M Hedges c Lee b Taylor 42; P Barrett b Taylor 4; A Smith c Young b Taylor 21; H Tennant not out 12; C Taylor b Taylor 7; A Greenwood not out 0; extras 16; total (for 8) 196.

Silsden extended their unbeaten run when they had a winning draw at Otley.

After being put into bat the Cobbydalers struggled to 34-4 before the Sugden brothers grafted to take the score over the 100 mark. After Hugh Sugden was out for 23 Andrew Knowles and Tim Sugden opened the floodgates, smashing the Otley attack to all corners of the field, Knowles finishing unbeaten on 33 off 27 balls and Tim Sugden notching up his best score so far this season with a superb 76. Silsden's fifth wicket fell on 106 and the sixth on 176, the side totalling 182-6.

The Otley bowling figures were C Martin 12-3-23-2, S Halls 12-3-36-2, R Hodgson 13-4-51-2 and M O'Grady 13-1-61-0.

When Otley batted they were dominated by the Silsden bowling attack and scored 162-6. Andrew Pullen had 2-64 off 20 overs, nine maidens, and at one point had 2-5 off 10 with some outstanding fast bowling. Mark Akrigg had 3-43 off 12, two maidens, and John K Roberts 1-23 off 13, four maidens. Adrian Emmott had figures of 5-0-18-0.

Otley's first wicket fell on 33, the next two on 34 and the fourth on 102, and the fifth and sixth went down on 158. P Machell was top scorer with 50 not out.

Silsden: A Waggett lbw Halls 15; B Walker c Hodgson b Halls 19; D Jackson b Martin 1; J Akrigg c Taylor b Martin 2; T Sugden c Taylor b Hodgson 76; H Sugden c O'Grady b Hodgson 23; A Knowles not out 33 A Pullen not out 0; extras 11; total (for 6) 182.

Otley: G Dobson b Pullen 14; C Smith c H Sugden b Pullen 18; S Baum lbw Roberts 0; D Taylor b M Akrigg 27; P Machell not out 50; M Smith b M Akrigg 37; R Hodgson st H Sugden b M Akrigg 0; M O'Grady not out 1; extras 15; total (for 6) 162.

Addingham had a losing draw at home to Ilkley, scoring 153-7 in reply to 256-4.

Skipton, still in search of their first league win, lost by eight wickets away to Guiseley on Saturday after putting in a very poor display.

Yet again the toss was lost and they were put into bat on an unpredictable wicket, but Guiseley in fairness to them used the conditions well and only Aussie Colin Nuthall with 41 looked the part on a wicket you were never in on.

In Skipton's defence they had no luck at all, two or three dismissals being questionable to say the least, but still 107 all out in 40 overs was a poor effort.

The Guiseley bowing figures were A Paley 13-2-26-3, M Williams 9.5-0-26-3, I Colqhoun 6-0-27-2 and M Ross 11-3-17-1

After posting such a low score Skipton had to get early wickets, but unfortunately they were not forthcoming.

The Guiseley batters knew that with 60 overs to get 107 all they had to do was survive and cruise to victory. The Skipton bowlers bowled tidily enough but could not manage to take the wickets and Guiseley eventually reached their target with 108-2 in the 35th over.

The Skipton bowling figures were Steve Young 8-2-23-2, Andy Roberts 6.5-0-29-0, Mick Scott 16-6-30-0 and Matt Taylor 4-0-16-0

Skipton: M Whitaker lbw Paley 11; G Lee c Brady b Williams 12; C Nuthall c Thompson b Ross 41; S Young c Ross b Paley 1; S Atkinson c Thompson b Ross 1; M Redhead c Thompson b Colqhoun 6; A Roberts b Williams 10; R Greenwood c Thompson b Colqhoun 4; M Wilson c Thompson b Paley 4; M Taylor lbw Williams 1; M Scott not out 2; extras 14; total 107.

Guiseley: M Ross not out 37; N Topham lbw Young 25; I Wolfenden c Lee b Young 8; S Ross not out 24; extras 14; total (for 2) 108.

Steeton had a winning draw at home to Hall Park, scoring 170-9, Neil Spragg hitting 43, Robert Wynn 37 and Mark Hedges 23, with J Simpson taking 5-53 for Hall Park, who totalled 155-9 after being 31-6, C Hobson scoring 63 and Simpson 34.

The South Craveners lost their first wicket for no score and their second on eight, but they rallied and took the score to 73 before they lost their third. The fourth fell on 87, the fifth on 104 and the sixth on 127. The seventh went down on 131, the eighth on 149 and the ninth on 158.

Simpson's five wickets came off 17 overs, four maidens, and other Hall Park bowling figures were C Collymore 19-4-58-2, I Bass 2-0-19-0 and A Doidge 12-2-28-0.

Hall Park's first two wickets both went down on nine and the third was lost on 27, the fourth on 30, the fifth and sixth on 31, the seventh on 72, the eighth on 137 and the ninth on 142.

For Steeton Spragg had 4-34 off 17 overs, three maidens, David Short 2-24 off eight, one maiden, and Chris Taylor 2-45 off 15, four maidens. Matthew Pinniger had figures of 10-2-29-2.

Steeton: M Pinniger b Collymore 0; R Wynn run out 37; H Tennant c Huddlestone b Collymore 3; N Spragg b Simpson 43; R Newton c Collymore b Simpson 3; M Hedges b Simpson 23; A Greenwood c Rock b Simpson 17; A Smith c Hobson b Simpson 2; P Barrett run out 25; C Taylor not out 3; D Short not out 2; extras 12; total (for 9) 170.

Hall Park: P Kempton c Taylor b Spragg 5; P Huddlestone c Hedges b Taylor 1; R Murphy c Hedges b Spragg 0; A Doidge c Pinniger b Taylor 9; M Hobson c Taylor b Short 6; S Wilson c Hedges b Spragg 0; D Rock c Smith b Spragg 0; C Hobson c Hedges b Short 63; J Simpson run out 34; C Collymore not out 9; I Bass not out 4; extras 24; total (for 9) 155.

Silsden had a three-wicket home win against Alwoodley, Hugh Sugden making it four stumpings in two games as the ripping spin bowling of Mark Akrigg, who took 5-70 off 18 overs, four maidens, restricted Alwoodley to 193-8 after at one time they had been 85 off 16 overs.

Andrew Pullen put in another match-winning performance in bowling 21 overs and finishing with 1-62 with three maidens and could well have had five or six wickets. Andrew Waggett picked up two more league fielding points as Alwoodley struggled towards the end. Other Silsden bowling figures were John K Roberts 7-0-37-1 and Adrian Emmott 4-0-21-0.

The first Alwoodley wicket fell on 61 and the second on 128. Then two fell on 150, the fifth on 170, the sixth on 173, the seventh on 187 and the eighth on 191. M Dallaston hit 48, J Pickles 47 and B McCormick 41.

Waggett and Bruce Walker got Silsden off to a great start before Waggett was run out on 25 with the score on 62. Walker was in free scoring form crashing some magnificent drives to the boundary but unfortunately was caught on 31.

However by then the damage had been done to the Alwoodley score and Silsden's middle order proved far too strong for the visitors' pace attack.

John Akrigg scored 68 off 57 balls including two sixes and 11 fours and Hugh Sugden and Pullen were in quick scoring form with 21 and 13 respectively. But it was Andrew Knowles who finished it in style with three fours in six balls to give Silsden another six points, the South Craveners totalling 198-7.

Their second wicket was lost on 71, the third on 81, the fourth on 107, the fifth and sixth on165 and the seventh on 192.

The Alwoodley bowling figures were C Green 4.3-0-23-2, P Mercer 11-0-49-2, G Metcalfe 5-0-25-1, G Weir 11-1-54-1 and Pickles 12-1-45-0.

Alwoodley: B McCormick lbw Roberts 41; M Dallaston lbw M Akrigg 48; J Pickles b M Akrigg 47; P Chapman c J Akrigg b Pullen 36; M Windle b M Akrigg 0; I Taylor run out 8; G Weir b M Akrigg 2; C Green st Sugden b M Akrigg 1; D Watson not out 0; P Mercer not out 0; extras 10; total ( for 8) 193.

Silsden: A Waggett run out 25; B Walker c Pickles b Metcalfe 31; D Jackson b Mercer 5; J Akrigg c Dallaston b Green 68; T Sugden c Mercer b Weir 2; H Sugden lbw Green 21; A Knowles not out 15; A Pullen c Chapman b Mercer 13; M Akrigg not out 0; extras 16; total ( for 7) 198.

Addingham away to Menston had a losing draw.

They scored 141-8, Stephen May getting 37 and Richard Simpson 32 not out, in reply to 218-8, G Thompson hitting 76 and D Lester 50 not out.

For Addingham Craig Turner took 4-59 and for Menston J Robinson had 4-73 and J Scott 3-17.

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