A BATTLING performance by Guiseley saw them snatch the Division A lead from Adel as they bid to end a barren spell so far as championship wins are concerned.

It was back in 1984 that Guiseley last won the title but they are looking good this time under the captaincy of Steve Thompson. In recent weeks they have twice beaten last yeart's double winners Steeton and Saturday's win over them was an enthralling battle.

Guiseley were restricted to 134 all out with Glen Taylor holding the innings together with a superb 68 after opener Mark Ross had made 22 but there was little support as Guy Saxton underlined his blossoming talent with a 7-36 return off 15.4 overs.

Andrew Paley and Neil Allitt got among the wickets as Steeton were pushed to the limits and only Matthew Pinninger with 67 held firm but even his 67 was not enough as his side were put out for 118 to give Guiseley vital points.

Adel suffered a six wicket defeat at Knaresborough where the vastly experienced Mike Baxendall grabbed his first ever league hat-trick in a return of 5-37 as Adel were put out for 99.

Knaresborough knocked off the runs with six wickets to spare. Aussie Shane Harwood bowled with great economy taking 2-25 off 20 overs but could not stop Knaresborough from winning.

Rawdon are in third place, with the same number of points as Adel, after their nine wickets win over Follifoot who offered little resistence being put out for 73 as Kenrick Marshall returned 5-27 off 23.4 overs and David Whittaker 4-19 off 11 overs.

Skipton skipper Chris Gott hammered 75 in traditional style and shared a productive stand with Robert Greenwood who made 57. Their side totalled 207-9 to which bottom club Silsden replied with 113-8 with only Dave Jackson with 47 holding firm .

Burley went down by two wickets to visitors Bilton being dismissed for 153 as Steve Lawrence's spin brought a harvest of 5-58. Richard Fleming top scored for Burley with 34 but it was Lawrence's day and he showed his all round talents by knocking up an unbeaten 51 as Bilton gained victory by a two wicket margin. A Clark was Bilton's top scorer however with a fine 55.

The highlight of the their innings was a huge six by Lee Saddique hit out of the ground straight through the car window of umpire Geoff Robinson who must have thought his car was safely parked! The defeat leaves Burley and Silsden slightly adrift at the bottom with a seven point gap to the next placed team, North Leeds.

Third from bottom North Leeds gained two points having the worst of the drawn game with Beckwithshaw who made 171-8.

Runs in the middle order from P Thompson (63) and S Barker (27) laid the foundations for this score. North Leeds made a poor start in reply losing both openers cheaply but Steve Wales held firm unbeaten on 39.

GUISELEY v STEETON

Guiseley.- M Ross c Pinniger b Spragg 22, B McCormick b Hudson 1, G Taylor b Saxton 68, C Chaplin b Saxton 9, N Johnson c Barrett b Saxton 12, S Thompson b Saxton 2, N Allitt b Saxton 6, I Colquhoun b Saxton 0, M Knowles b Saxton 1, A Paley b Hudson 2, M Brown not out 4; x 7; ttl. 134.

Bowling: S Hudson 25-4-63-2; G Saxton 15.4-5-36-7; N Spragg 9-0-30-1.

Steeton.- A Howarth c Chaplin b Knowles 13, M Wilson c Thompson b Paley 0, M Pinniger c Thompson b Allitt 67, N Spragg lbw Paley 3, S Hudson c Paley b Brown 4, M Hedges c Thompson b Brown 4, G Saxton lbw Paley 8, R Wynn c McCormick b Allitt 1, R Newton b Allitt 8, P Barrett lbw Allitt 0; x 9; ttl. 118.

Bowling: A Paley 16-5-40-3; M Knowles 8-3-25-1; M Brown 12-5-18-2; N Allitt 9-2-27-4.

Guiseley won by 16 runs.

RAWDON v FOLLIFOOT

Follifoot.- D Miller b Marshall 9, M Stanford b Marshall 11, B Smart c Walsh b Whittaker 19, N Walker c Percy b Whittaker 2, M Taylor b Whittaker 1, P Angove b Marshall 0, P Townsend not out 16, I Houseman b Marshall 0, M Yates c Brown b Whittaker 2, G Sullivan b Marshall 5, D Nudds run out 0; x 8; ttl. 73.

Bowling: K Marshall 23.4-12-27-5; D Rock 8-4-11-0; R Atkinson 4-2-8-0; D Whittaker 11-3-19-4.

Rawdon.- C Walsh not out 28, D Whittaker c Houseman b Sullivan 35, B Percy not out 4; x 7; ttl. 74-1.

Bowling: G Sullivan 7.3-0-30-1; M Yates 6-2-14-0; D Nudds 3-1-5-0; M Taylor 2-0-20-0.

Rawdon won by nine wickets.

Beckwithshaw 171-8 (P Thompson 63, D Bolton 30, S Barker 27, N Richardson 4-42, B Singleton 4-62); *North Leeds 134-9 (S Wales 39 no, A Stevens 29, D Bolton 5-34, M Baker 3-26). Draw: 4-2 points.

BURLEY v BILTON

Burley.- J Davey st Moore b Lawrence 10, C Wheeler st Moore b Lawrence 24, M Saddique b Lawrence 28, A Arundell c and b Taylor 19, DBrook c Corish b Lawrence 4, R Fleming b Clark 34, R Brook c Boxall b Clark 7, R Harrison lbw Lawrence 0, C Green c Boxall b Clark 10, A Wheeler not out 2, S Thorne run out 4; x 11; ttl.153.

Bowling: S Taylor 12-3-40-1; M Reynard 8-0-30-0; S Lawrence 20-6-58-6; A Clark 7-3-15-3.

Bilton.- M Corish b Harrison 19, B Driver lbw Harrison 0, A Clark lbw Harrison 55, M Halmshaw b Green 0, S Lawrence not out 51, R Light lbw Green 0, A Kitchen b Green 0, N Boxall b Harrison 13, M Reynard lbw Green 10, S Moore not out 3; x 5; ttl. 156-8.

Bowling: R Harrison 22.1-6-65-4; A Wheeler 5-1-17-0; C Green 21-7-50-4; C Wheeler 4-0-21-0.

Bilton won by two wickets.

Skipton 207-9 (C Gott 75, R Greenwood 57, J McPherson 24 no, J Roberts 4-46); *Silsden 113-8 (D Jackson 47). Draw: 5-1 points.

Adel 99 (S Harwood 23, M Thomas 38, M Baxandall 5-37 inc hat-trick, R Procter 4-45); *Knaresborough 100-4 (J Dodman 27 no, M Revill 25 no). Knaresborough won by six wickets.

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