LIVERSEDGE take on Hopton Mills, lying first and second respectively in the All Rounder Cricket Equipment Central Yorkshire League Championship Division with just five points between them, at Roberttown Lane tomorrow.

Hopton Mills lost top spot when they were surprisingly beaten by 50 runs at East Ardsley following a match winning 5-18 return from veteran David Battye in ten overs.

In fact, the margin would have been even greater but for a quickfire 43 off 28 balls from Hopton No 8 Bradley Drake.

Liversedge took over the leadership but their six-point acquisition at the expense of Caribbean should have the alarm bells ringing among the league's top brass as Liversedge were awarded the points after Caribbean conceded the match without a ball being bowled.

As an outsider it is sad to see cricket at this level facing such farcical circumstances.

With only eight teams in this division to start with, the sight of Caribbean anchored to the foot of the Championship table with only three points – 35 behind the next club – is evidence of a hopeless mismatch.

If the Leeds side cannot now guarantee fulfilling fixtures, a most unsatisfactory situation has developed.

It is difficult to see what can be done to improve the situation but the loss of two more clubs to the JCT600 Bradford League next season will not help.

Huge differences in ability are developing between the divisions, and sometimes even within the division.

For example, Buttershaw St Paul's sit at the bottom of the Premier Division with 12 points now to make up on third-from-bottom Hunslet Nelson.

They did well to win promotion with champions Batley last season but while Batley, despite a six-wicket defeat at the hands of leaders Methley in their last game, have recovered quite well after a disastrous start, Buttershaw seem to be lurching from one defeat to another.

In their last game, Buttershaw were beaten by 160 runs at Mirfield Parish Cavaliers after former Woodlands skipper Tim Orrell (83) and Nazar Hussain (119no), helped Parish chalk up 329-4 in their 50 overs. In reply, Buttershaw mustered just 169.

Buttershaw face Hunslet Nelson at St Paul's Road this week for a game they must win if they are to have any hope of survival in the top flight.

Among the other Premier Division games, Birstall, beaten by 156 runs at home to Altofts in their last game, go to championship-chasing Townville, while Batley are at home to Wakefield Thornes.

Any lingering hopes of Ossett making a late challenge disappeared with a crushing defeat at the hands of Wrenthorpe at Queens Terrace.

Chasing 238-7, even the presence of Yorkshire's Richard Pyrah could do little to avoid a batting disaster.

Pyrah took 2-72 in his 15 overs, took one catch and claimed a run out, but contributed nothing with the bat as one of six men to fall without scoring.

Not one player reached double figures, extras were top score by a mile with 17, and only 22 runs came off the bat in the entire innings.

James Glynn was unplayable as he returned figures of 9-11 in 6.4 overs for Wrenthorpe, and Ossett crumbled to 39 all out.