All-rounder Allitt deals Kirkstall title blow

10:32am Tuesday 9th September 2008

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With their match against Pool abandoned, Guiseley could only sit and wait while two of their rivals for the Aire-Wharfe League title played.

But in a twist that few would have predicted, Otley beat North Leeds and Green Lane overcame Kirkstall Educational, leaving Guiseley as the only top-three side to pick up a point!

That puts them two points behind Kirkstall and three ahead of North Leeds going into the final Saturday of the season.

Kirkstall had the chance to sew things up in a match reduced to 40 overs each but, with Steve Hargreaves (82) leading the way, Green Lane scored at nearly five an over. Vivek Mahajan (34) and Neil Allitt (30 not out) weighed in to help them to 194 for six.

Kirkstall started well enough, opener Rob Sutton (48) seeing them to 84 for three but then the attack of Allitt (7-22) and Neil Britton (3-40) skittled the last seven for 26 runs, sending the leaders to their third defeat in the last four games.

Things were looking very bright for in-form North Leeds when they restricted Otley to 101 for seven off their 47 overs, former Pool batsman Paul Wilkinson top-scoring with an unbeaten 36.

But Richard Halloran soon had the home side on the back foot and took six for 30 as North Leeds were dismissed for just 81.

Burley put on a swashbuckling display to confirm their top-flight status, racing to 153 for seven off 20 overs on the way to taking four points off Bilton.

Nick Brook (67) and Mark Harrison (46) led the spree before Brook (3-55) and Shane Etherington (4-67) set about the home batting.

But Bilton hung on to pick up two points that keep them in a group with Collingham and Pool separated by only three points in the battle to avoid the two relegation spots.

Only one game started in Division Two but it was of huge significance.

If Knaresborough could beat Olicanian, they were still in with a chance of gaining promotion despite being docked 24 points for over-bowling 18-year-old Australian Dale Tormey.

Bernard Hughes (4-54) produced his seventh spell of four or more wickets to restrict Knaresborough to 123 for seven, of which Tormey scored 42 taking his run tally for the season past 1,200.

But then the weather closed in and Olicanian never got the chance to pick up the points that would have given them the chance to avoid relegation.

They will play Division Three cricket next season after just a year in the middle flight.

There was no play at all in that section and, while promotion and re-election spots are confirmed, there are still some details to sort out.

Thackley meet Illingworth in the last match to decide which of them goes up as champions, while Addingham still have the chance of overhauling Alwoodley to avoid the wooden spoon.