BUTTERSHAW St Paul's face a tough ask to pull clear of the Premier Division relegation places on current All Rounder Cricket Equipment Central Yorkshire League form.

They put up a good fight before going down by 30 runs against Wrenthorpe and it is hard to imagine them having any more luck in tomorrow's return game away from home.

There was another good performance from Paul Carroll, with a top-scoring 72 for Buttershaw, while teenager Kevin McDermott took 5-58, but a century by Wrenthorpe skipper Neil Bourke proved to be Buttershaw's undoing.

Ossett enjoyed a six-wicket win at second-placed Townville last week to set up an interesting return at Queens Terrace tomorrow.

That win lifted Ossett to fifth in the table, and only seven points adrift of second-placed Townville, but another setback for the reigning champions would provide a welcome boost for current leaders Methley.

At Townville, Ossett skipper John Sadler turned in a match-winning performance with a 3-53 bowling stint followed by an unbeaten 65 in an unbroken 91-run stand for the fifth wicket with Javed Umarji (51no).

Methley extended their lead with a three-wicket win over Carlton but they had a late scare, losing five wickets for 44 after the dismissals of Marcus Walmsley (61) and Luke Patel (51). They will hope to put that right in the return game at Carlton this weekend.

Birstall continued their slide with a nine-wicket defeat at Wakefield Thornes after mustering only 92 in 34 overs, Eric Austin's unbeaten 22 and a late flurry from Saif ur Rehman (28) providing the only resistance. They will surely not relish the possibility of more of the same at Leeds Road tomorrow.

Mirfield Parish Cavaliers posted a respectable 228-3 at Altofts, David Blakeley (88) and Nazar Hussain (59no) scoring half-centuries. But a tight finish ensued, with Altofts left needing 22 for victory and Parish requiring just one more wicket for maximum points. The return looks like being another keen contest.

Hopton Mills lead the way in the Championship Division after a 113-run win over Northowram Fields gave them a five-point advantage over Azaad, who head a group of four separated by only four points.

Ashley Mackereth (72) got Hopton off to a good start and though Glenn Morrison top-scored for Northowram, his 33 scarcely made a dent in the target of 278 to win.

Skipper Richard Myers is sure to be wanting more of the same at promotion rivals Wakefield St Michaels tomorrow but a win over Azaad in their previous game will have given St Michaels a boost.

Liversedge are still hovering around the promotion zone after a six-wicket win at Oulton and they now entertain second-fbottom East Ardsley.

In Division One, bottom club Crossbank Methodists will be hoping to finally get a first win under their belts when they host third-bottom Mirfield.