Otley are on the up thanks to Smith

century of the season steered Otley to victory over Rawdon and took them to the top of Division A.

It represents a remarkable turn-around for a side that only avoided relegation last season by a single point.

It looks as though new skipper Richard Taylor may be ready to guide Otley back to those heady days in the late 1980s and early 1990s when they won four titles in a row and six out of nine.

Aussie Andrew Burke, in his third season at Cross Green, is a key figure and his five for 28 took his tally to 16 wickets in the last four games.

He and Taylor (4-38) restricted the inconsistent Rawdon to 136 with only Jamie Davey (53) showing anything like normal form. Smith, aided by Gary Thompson (38), then saw Otley home with six wickets to spare.

But Taylor will know that with only four points between his side and North Leeds in fifth position and a visit to defending champions and third-placed Bilton coming up, this year's title is wide open.

At the other end of the table, Mark Ross's 74 helped Guiseley overcome Beckwithshaw by five wickets and took them out of the bottom two.

They were replaced by Burley, who could find no answer to the off-spin of Adel's Geoff Shires (5-15) and crashed to their fourth defeat in a row.

Another five-wicket haul, by Tong Park's Chander Sheikhar, whose spell included eight maidens, helped his side take four points at Green Lane and keeps them above the drop zone.

Steeton's stay at the top of Division B lasted just a week as they struggled to match the fast improving Calverley outfit.

A stand of 130 for the fourth wicket between Steve Moore (103) and Steve Alred (50) helped Calverley to 234 for seven and Steeton were left well short with only two wickets left despite 49 from Alex Howarth.

Horsforth remain inconsistent, going down by six wickets at home to Knaresborough with only Anthony Cadman (54)

producing his best form, while Silsden were crushed by Pool, finding no answer to Matthew Naylor (6-13) as they slumped to 97 all out.

Nick Hutton (4-64) produced his best spell of bowling for Menston as Collingham were dismissed for 204.

But despite a battling half-

century from Nick Fitzpatrick that included 10 fours, Menston were left a single run short of picking up a second point in the draw.

Their one point did however lift them off the bottom to be replaced by Ilkley, who went down by seven wickets at home to Thackley.

Lee Marjerison (98no) and Paul Dover (43no) saw Thackley past Ilkley's 202 for nine, of which Alex Bailey scored 67.

Hall Park's Jamie Simpson hit an entertaining century at Bardsey but the home side still came out five-wicket winners, their Australian Kiel Harvey hitting 135.

A knock of 94 from Nathan Barrett helped Olicanian rack up a season's best 277 for six, but they were only able to take five points as Alwoodley's last pair hung on for the draw.

Olicanian remain top, two points clear of Colton, but the form side is Ben Rhydding,

who notched their fourth win in a row when they beat Illingworth by nine wickets.

Ian Winterbottom's second five-wicket haul set up the win and Wade Kilbourne (77no) and Andy Stoddart (41no) made sure there were no slip-ups.

Teenagers Mark Taylor (41) and Richard Atkins (48) shared a stand of 69 for the fourth wicket to help Addingham to victory over New Rover and lift them into fourth place.

They are level on points with Harden, whose win at Skipton took them to 22 points out of the last 24.

Neil Kettle (52) and Phil Leng (4-56) were the stars of the show for Harden, while Steve Carling scored 85 and Rob Walker an undefeated 58 as Skipton set a target of 182 for six.

Steve Shuttleworth's 61 helped Bolton Villas to 240 for eight but they were still 26 short of the target set by Upper Wharfedale, for whom Rob Hearne hit an unbeaten 121.