Airedale & Wharfedale League: Beckwithshaw CC chase down Collingham & Linton

Charlie Swallow shone with both bat and ball but could not save Collingham & Linton from defeat to Beckwithshaw. Picture: Steve Riding

Needing to surpass Collingham & Linton’s sizeable total of 254/4, Ben Holderness’ men completed the job with four wickets in hand and more than three overs to spare.

Opener Oliver Hebblethwaite was the mainstay of their innings, hitting 14 fours and a six in his fine knock of 92.

Miles Buller (35) and Alex Morrell (34) then took over before Sam Moore (33 not out) got ‘Shaw over the line despite the efforts of Collingham’s Charlie Swallow, who knocked over three wickets.

Earlier in the day, Swallow had shone with the bat in hand, smashing an excellent unbeaten century.

His score of 120 featured no fewer than 16 fours and two maximums, with support coming from Jack McGahan, who made 70 in a 110-run stand for the third wicket.

Saturday’s result at the Stag Den sees ‘Shaw climb up to fifth place in the table and overtake Collingham in the process.

Bilton’s title hopes were dented by their second defeat in the space of a week.

A superb start to 2021 saw them triumph in all six of their opening six completed fixtures of the campaign prior to last weekend’s reverse at the hands of top-of-the-table Saltaire.

But, a surprise loss to mid-table Burley-in-Wharfedale drops David Cummings’ team down to third position and leaves them some way off the pace.

Having bowled their visitors out for just 143 - thanks in part to the efforts of Luke Jarvis (4-29) - Bilton must have fancied their chances of going on to record a seventh success in eight attempts.

But a spectacular batting collapse saw them crumble from 59/3 to 80 all out in 39.1 painful overs, Jamie Bryant top-scoring with 25.

In Division Two, there was no separating Follifoot and Ton Park Esholt, who played out a tie.

Matt Williams (90), Alex Fox (56) and Yasar Ali (44) helped the hosts put 267 on the board.

The contest went right down to the very last ball, with Tong Park finishing up on exactly the same score, Ali claiming three of the six wickets to fall.

Naseem Aslam (67 not out) and Harwood Williams (50 not out) both struck half-centuries as Bardsey beat Kirkstall Education by six wickets.

Earlier, Amjad Ali took 5-41 and Henry Wainman 4-39 to get rid of the visitors for 190.