Aire-Wharfe League: Back-to-back victories for Bilton

Beckwithshaw's Peter Hotchkiss claimed five scalps, but couldn't save his side from defeat to Burley-in-Wharfedale. Picture: Steve Riding

Ryan Bradshaw’s troops followed up last Saturday’s success over Pool with a narrow victory on the road at rock-bottom Guiseley.

A centurion seven days earlier, Mustahsan Ali Shah was in fine form once again and contributed a knock of 63, but it was David Hardcastle who top-scored with an excellent 86 not out.

The visitors finished on 255/7 from their 50 overs, but struggling Guiseley made a good fist of their reply.

The game entered the final over with the hosts still in the hunt, but they eventually ended up just eight runs short as Shah and Tuseif Arshad bagged three wickets apeice for Bilton.

Beckwithshaw are now 16 points from safety after going down by a 137-run margin when they entertained Burley-in-Wharfedale.

The away team posted a substantital total of 310/7 batting first despite a five-wicket haul for Pete Hotchkiss (5-64).

’Shaw skipper Ross Sedgley (29) and Dax Guy (28) then made starts at the top of the order, but no home batsman managed more than Oli Hotchkiss (44) and they made it no further than 173 all out.

Follifoot’s long winless run was extended by Adel, but the Harrogate outfit managed to bag themselves eight useful points.

Former Harrogate CC ace Dave Foster produced a captain’s knock for the visitors, smashing 122 of their mammoth 338/7.

Alex Fox snapped up four wickets for Follifoot, but they came at the cost of 114 runs.

Nick Robinson then bettered Foster’s innings, finishing unbeaten on 133 after striking 19 fours and four sixes, while Cameron Martin weighed in with 47.

There was little else of any note from the home batters, however, and they closed on 252/8, leaving them eighth in the top-flight standings.

In the second division, in-form Collingham & Linton kept pace with the top two, crushing struggling Calverley St Wilfrids.

Captain Jack Harrison (114) led by example, striking an excellent century and Charlie Swallow also impressed with 61 not out in the hosts’ 253/2 first up.

The division’s bottom team never looked like getting anywhere near that total, slumping to 13/3 early on in their reply.

A superb spell from Toby Jacklin saw him record figures of 5-20, while Nishant Desai helped himself to 3-24 as Calverley were skittled for 88.

Victory ensures that Collingham remain third in the table, just nine points off an automatic promotion spot.