Airedale & Wharfedale League: Bilton CC relegated from Premier Division after season of struggle

David Cummings’ strugglers, who have won just one game all season and been rooted to the foot of the table for months, suffered two defeats in as many days, leaving them no chance of getting themselves out of trouble with four games left to play.

They were always going to be up against it when they entertained league leaders and title favourites Otley on Saturday, and being dismissed for only 118 left them in a precarious position in a game which they could not afford to lose.

Carl Heptinstall did his best to prevent the inevitable, bagging 4-25 to make sure that the high-flyers had to work hard to get over the line, though they eventually reached 122/6 inside 27 overs.

That result result ended Bilton’s slim hopes of beating the drop before they took on second-from-bottom Rawdon on Sunday.

Ben Mackrill hit a fine 87 not out to help the visitors to 213 all out.

But the home side needed just 26.1 overs to compete an eight-wicket victory.

Elsewhere in the top flight, Collingham & Linton dropped down to fourth following their five-wicket defeat to Tong Park Esholt.

The defending champions were bowled out for just 115, Jonathan Haslem scoring 44 of those runs.

Tong Park then eased to 116/5 despite Adam Wetherall and Toby Jacklin grabbing a couple of wickets apiece.

Meanwhile, Beckwithshaw took a big step towards securing promotion to the Airedale & Wharfedale League Premier Division when they narrowly got the better of Calverley St Wilfrids on Saturday afternoon.

The Stags opened up a 36-point gap between themselves and third-placed Colton Institute after bowling their hosts out for 153, just 11 runs shy of their first-innings total of 164.

Ben Holderness was the star of the show for ‘Shaw, bagging 5-49 having earlier top-scored with a knock of 51.

Follifoot sit fourth in the Division One standings following Sunday’s 132-run success over Colton.

Hector Bowerman smashed a sensational 181 not out from 177 balls, steering the Bulls to 292/5.

Callum McLean then snapped up 5-50 to help get rid of the visitors for 160.

Twenty-four hours earlier, Follifoot lost by seven wickets at Harden having posted 248/7 in 50 overs, Isaac Mapima weighing in with 77.

Bardsey slipped back into the relegation zone after they suffered two losses in the space of as many days, to Colton and Calverley St Wilfrids.