OK - RJ

RICHARD Nichols blasted Skipton to their seventh Aire-Wharfe League win in eight matches and to the top of Division Two.

The Skipton skipper took the Ben Rhydding attack apart, hitting 15 fours and four sixes in his season-best 144no.

He shared an opening stand of 159 with Isaac Beck (71) to put his side on the way to 273-6, four of the wickets falling to Kervan Christmas.

Nichols then took 3-22 and with Shahid Nadeem (3-19) dismissed the home side for 163 with only Charlie Swallow (42) threatening them.

With overnight leaders Colton crashing to a ten-wicket defeat by Adel, Horsforth moved to within two points of the promotion places by beating Knaresborough.

Michael Lambert picked up three quick wickets and the rest only managed to reach 88 while Gareth Lee (45no) saw Horsforth home.

Pool had an easy seven-wicket win to stay in the hunt at the top after Dave Amos (6-38) skittled out relegation-threatened Green Lane for 53 with only Waleed Akhtar and Tony Cornwell reaching double figures.

Lane need something of a miracle to survive but Tong Park Esholt boosted their chances of staying up with a 14-run win over Thackley.

Ajantha Weerapuli (55) and Danny Groom (48) led the way in the home side’s 200-7 and even though Sidhant Adhatrao followed up a three-wicket haul with a half century and No10 Shane Marshall hit a defiant 31no, Mick Scott (4-31) and Danny Bell (3-47) managed to contain Thackley.

Harden are now only five points above the drop zone after Illingworth overhauled their 188 total with two wickets to spare, despite the efforts of Isaac Murray (4-54) and Michael O’Flaherty (3-28).

Division One leaders Otley made short work of Burley, Sam Blake taking 5-21 as the home side crumbled out for 127.

Although Otley stumbled to 35-3, Josh Atkinson (45no) and James Davies (47) made sure of the victory.

Rob Spivey followed up a five-wicket spell with a match-winning 81 as Ilkley passed Steeton’s 219 total with three wickets in hand.

It was only their second win of the season, but enough to lift them out of the bottom two.

Their place was taken by Guiseley who went down by 106 runs at Kirkstall where former Pudsey Congs favourite Babar Butt took 6-40 as Guiseley were dismissed for 193, in which Stewart Smith made a half century.

George Myers cracked 18 fours in his 115 and put on 118 with Andrew Duckworth (57) in Rawdon’s 252-9 and despite a spirited reply from North Leeds, the home side came out on top by eight runs.

With New Rover crashing to a third defeat in four starts, Olicanian and Calverley were able to step up their challenge in the logjam at the top of Division Three.

A 2.5 over spell of 3-7 from Harry Smallwood helped dismiss Silsden for 117 and Smallwood (54no) and David Healey (34no) eased Olicanian to victory.

Calverley’s No7 Ben Waller smashed 90 in 44 balls, including nine fours and six sixes, putting on 106 with Nigel Thornton as his side set Bolton Villas a 230-9 target.

Opener Steve Shuttleworth hit 42 in the reply but Naveed Panesar (3-40) and Tom Simpson (3-8) ripped out Villas for 136, their last six wickets going down with only 20 runs added.

Hall Park are still in with a chance after beating Menston.

Robert Carlill scored a half century in Park’s 245 which saw David Heslop take 5-65 and Charlie Parker (3-56) pass 60 wickets for the season.

Heslop (54) and Tom Lester (60) had Menston on track with a second wicket stand of 90, but then James Carlill took two quick wickets and the visitors were finally dismissed for 196.