IT WAS the battle of the titans in the Aire-Wharfe League this weekend, with Division 1 heavyweights Otley and Rawdon facing off at Cross Green.

Bowling first, Tasmanian Tyler Willmott (5-36), and Nathan Goldthorp (3-42) proved unplayable, with Steve Brown (54) the only batter to make more than 21 as Otley collapsed from 131-5 to just 159.

Sam Kellet (2-30) was the only bowler to make inroads in Rawdon’s reply, wicketkeeper James Dobson (73 not out) and Joe Smith (32 no) seeing the visitors home in the 33rd over to return to the top of the table.

Behind them, Burley-in-Wharfedale remain third after beating Horsforth Hall Park by three wickets in a high-scoring encounter at Hodson Park.

Skipper Ben Waller (57) and Joe Greaves (51) both hit half-centuries to help the visitors to a competitive 241-7, with Nicky Bulcock and James Mukherjee taking three wickets apiece.

Burley had no problems in reaching that target after tea, Jason Wright (59) and Joe Hall (55) putting on 109 for the first wicket before Mukherjee (47 no) hit the winning runs midway through the 47th over.

Collingham & Linton and Addingham are also going well this campaign, picking up comfortable wins against Beckwitshaw and Bilton respectively.

Batting first, middle-order Sam Moore (53 no) and Miles Buller (43) put on 88 for the fifth wicket to see Beckwithshaw post 234-6, a total that Collingham & Linton reached with 11 balls to spare thanks to the ever-reliable Dan Kilby (116) and Charlie Swallow (59 no).

Addingham were struggling against the bowling of Luke Jarvis (4-35) and Tuseif Arshad (2-49) before Ted Haggas’ 50 helped them to 198-9, with Bilton falling 48 runs short of their target despite Sam Dale’s half-century.

New Rover and North Leeds played out the highest-scoring match, sharing 597 runs at the Richmond Oval.

Despite losing opener Waleed Akhtar early, skipper Michael Richmond (77) and Fahid Rehman (129 no) soon hit their stride to help the hosts post a competitive 297-5, a total that North Leeds reached with just three balls to spare thanks to Yash Pednekar (86).

The only other match in the division saw reigning champions Saltaire pick up the maximum 20 after beating cellar-dwellers Ilkley by 24 runs, with captain Sajad Ali (79 no) and spinner Mutashan Ali Shah (6-49) the standouts.

Follifoot sit at the Division 2 summit after claiming maximum points with an 86-run win at Olicanian, despite making a disastrous start.

After losing their first two wickets for just 24 runs, Nick Robinson (79), Istikhar Hussain (66 no), and Yasar Ali (54) formed the backbone of the visitors’ 293-9, with Mustafa Sajjad (4-61) the most effective with the ball.

By contrast, opener Ryan Morley (83) was the only batter who carried much of a threat for Olicanian, with Josh Cutts (3-31) and Ali (3-68) performing with the ball to bowl them out for just 207.

Tong Park Esholt are two points further back in second, despite thrashing strugglers Green Lane by 119 runs.

Electing to bat, the hosts owed much of their 366-5 to an outstanding 212-run partnership between captain Dave Hester (156) and Fawad Maqsood (102) before both fell victim to Nadeem Safdar (3-97), with only Deepal Dissanayake (60 no), Imran Zaman (52) and Phil Atkinson (43) making inroads as Green Lane batted out their overs to reach 247-7 in reply.

Harden’s poor start continued with a three-wicket defeat at home to third-placed Pool, with only Andy Wear (37) and Mark Portlock (30) posing any credible threat with the bat as Will Pallister, Olly Boggie, and Krutik Patel picked up three wickets apiece.

Rob Goldthorp (44) then saw the visitors home in the 47th over, despite the best efforts of the economical Martin Falkingham (3-24) and Romil Butt (2-21).

Liam Mostert (68) and Nick Thackray (61) shone with the bat before Tom Glover and Jonathan Horner took four wickets apiece as Colton Institute claimed maximum points with a 119-run victory at home to last-placed Horsforth, while James Robinson (73), Stevie Pearson (4-22) and James McDonald (3-39) saw Steeton also claim 20 points with a six-wicket win against Bardsey at Summerhill Lane.

Elsewhere, Calverley came out on top in a low-scoring match at home to Adel, with Lachlan Cork (6-44) helping to bowl the visitors out for just 103, Ed Whittingham (45) seeing the hosts over the line in the 25th over. REPORT BY EMMA KENNEDY