WITH eight matches of the season left, Otley have a handy 38-point lead in the Premier Division of the Aire-Wharfe League.

Second for the past three campaigns, they must be confident of winning the title for the time since the Covid year of 2020.

Otley were given a decent test by fourth-placed visitors Burley on Saturday, but emerged victorious by 35 runs.

However, the hosts were 61-5 before a recovery to 256-7, with Steve Brown (21) adding 50 for the fifth wicket with captain Josh Atkinson (58) before an unbroken partnership of 88 between Jake Ross (62no) and Sam Kellett (42no).

Burley lost Jason Krafft early, but a stand of 95 by opener Mark Harrison (27) and Dan Revis (73) put them back on course.

Revis hit 11 fours and a six in his 82-ball stay, but they slipped to 156-7 before skipper Nicky Bulcock (27) and Josh Hastings (29) added 48, only for Burley to be dismissed for 221, with Ollie Halliday taking 3-79 and Brown 4-55.

Second-placed Collingham matched Otley’s maximum haul by defeating Waddilove Cup finalists Horsforth Hall Park by six wickets after dismissing the hosts for 148, Michael Loubser being trapped lbw by Luke Jarvis for 49.

The other nine wickets were taken by Toby Jacklin (5-22) and Nadeem Shefta (4-86).

Pool are sixth on 157 points after an emphatic victory at Bilton, with the visitors making 273 after being sent in.

Opener Logan Duval made 108 of those off 84 balls, hitting 17 fours, and he added 82 for the third wicket with skipper Charlie Bell (26), although three wickets fell at 207.

Despite an opening partnership of 69, Bilton were dismissed for 154, with Bell taking 3-21 and Sam Lawrence 3-67.

In Division One, Addingham’s lead has been trimmed to 26 points as they suffered their second defeat in four matches, this time at Bardsey.

Addingham made 273-4, with opener James Hall being run out for 103, made off 150 balls and containing eight fours.

He added 108 with No 2 Ricky Palacio (55) and 116 with No 3 Nick Farrell (75) before captain Richard Atkins (22no) cashed in, with Farrell’s runs coming off only 50 balls and containing nine fours and two sixes.

Undaunted, Bardsey won by two wickets with eight balls to spare, Rob Ellis emerging with 3-58.

Third-placed Guiseley made Harden pay for sending them in at Nethermoor, racking up 317-5, with Jack Kelly (121) putting on 175 for the third wicket with Aniket Rana (75) and 58 for the fourth with former Yorkshire and England player Gavin Hamilton (40).

Kelly’s runs came off 132 balls and contained 14 fours and a six, while Rana was only in for 67 balls and hit five fours and a six.

Rana then took 8-44 as Harden were dismissed for 168.

Olicanian were even more in the runs at home to Calverley, scoring 363-7 after being asked to bat.

Opener Tom Starkey played the innings of the day, making 186 off 145 deliveries, including an incredible 35 fours, and was seventh out at 323 in the 47th over.

He added 50 for the second wicket with Dom Oldham, whose contribution was five, and 47 for the third with Tom Smallwood (14).

Starkey then put on 77 for the fifth wicket with Ethan McLelland (20) and 82 for the seventh with skipper James Hudson (48no).

Calverley replied with 264-7, Joe Davies taking 2-29 and Manley du Preez 2-53.

Ilkley, who dropped to fourth as Olicanian climbed, lost by 29 runs at home to Follifoot, who made 152 after winning the toss, Dan Bott taking 6-33 and James Bourke 3-52.

Despite an opening stand of 58 between Will Jones (36) and Robbie Murray (30), Ilkley could only muster 123 in reply, and keeper Isaac Luffman made 23 of those.

Menston lead Division Two by four points from Kirkstall Educational after winning by 178 runs at Leeds Modernians.

The visitors made 307-8 after choosing to bat, skipper and keeper Adam Montague-Miller (70) and Tom Mounsey (42) putting on 128 for openers.

Montague-Millar’s runs came off just 73 balls and contained 10 fours and a six, while the momentum was maintained by No 3 Fraser Oates, whose innings of 80 lasted 65 balls and included 13 fours.

Zarshad Khan weighed in with 40 not out down the order, and Mods were then toppled for 129, despite openers Chris Dalby (58) and captain Jonathan Wiggan (23) putting on 82, with Sarfaraz Ahmed taking 3-39 and George Marsden 4-29.

Green Lane, who stayed sixth, made short work of visitors Skipton, who only scored 135 after opting to bat, change bowlers Ben Roberts taking 5-25 and Michael Ellis 2-18 .

A stand of 92 between opener Chris Bogdanos (58) and keeper Phil Atkinson (60) helped Lane to a seven-wicket win in the 27th over.

Horsforth, who dropped a place to eighth, lost a run-fest at Old Leodiensians, who made 339-9 after being sent in, Kris Lewis taking 3-62.

The visitors replied with a more than creditable 319, Harry Jeavons leading the way with 82 off just 74 balls, including 10 fours and two sixes.

He added 64 for the fourth wicket with Alex Wiggan (47), Matthew Caines (27) being the quieter partner in a stand of 103 with Jeavons for the sixth wicket, with the latter then being out on the same score.

Opener Brad Moritz (35), Danny Taylor (25) and captain Matthew Wainwright (36) also contributed to a game of 658 runs.