OTLEY’S challengers seem determined to let them ease their way to the Aire-Wharfe League Premier Division title.

Every time a team takes over in second place behind the leaders they seem to lose their next match, and that was the case with Saltaire on Saturday.

They chose to bat at Roberts Park, but could only total 167, despite No 3 Awaise Hussain (53) putting on 68 for the second wicket with Subhaan Ammar (17) and skipper Sajid Ali scoring 30 down the order.

Pool then won by six wickets in the 41st over, despite Ali taking 3-47.

Tong Park Esholt deepened Rawdon’s woes, winning by 10 wickets to make it seven straight losses for the free-falling hosts.

Sent in, Rawdon made 214-8, Mahir Ali (4-47) having made a mess of their top order.

Esholt then scored 215-0 in 35.1 overs, with captain Dave Hester finishing on 120 not out and Jake Sali 69 not out.

Hester faced 120 deliveries and hit 17 fours and four sixes, while Sali’s knock was 96 balls long and included 10 fours as TPE climbed one place to eighth.

In Division One, Bolton Villas had a double weekend, but they lost to Colton by 156 runs and Addingham by 53 runs.

Colton made 232 after winning the toss at All Alone Road, change bowlers Nachiket Verlekar (3-64) and Zeeshan Haider (5-65) triggering a collapse from 92-1.

No-one in the Villas reply topped 20, however, as they were skittled for 77 in exactly 20 overs.

They batted better at Addingham on Sunday after the champions elect made 257 after winning the toss, Adam Shabir taking 5-48 and Dev Sehara 3-7.

Opener Mohammed Waseem scored 82, being eighth out at 182, in Villas’ reply of 204.

Waseem faced 127 balls and hit 11 fours, adding 48 with Siraj Hussain (25) for the fourth wicket and 60 with Haider (24) for the fifth.

Cellar dwellers Calverley faced Addingham and performed well, scoring 211-8 after winning the toss.

Ed Whittingham (42) and Jacob Westwood (54) put on 74 for the third wicket, and Nav Panesar (47no) added 55 unbroken for the ninth with Chris Coates (11no).

Addingham only won by three wickets in the 46th over after an outstanding spell by Greg Byrne (3-27 off 13 overs), who dismissed the top three.

In Division Two, Bingley Congs consolidated fourth place with a 40-run victory at Green Lane.

Congs, sent in, made 258-9, opener Charles Ramsey adding 52 for the third wicket with Muhammad Adil (23) before seasoned campaigners Neil Copping (73) and Chris Dibb (21) put on 79 for the seventh,

Copping was at his belligerent best, facing 50 deliveries and hitting five fours and six sixes.

Green Lane’s openers put on 80 and there was also a stand of 55 but they collapsed from 164-4 to 218-9 as Copping took 3-60 and Jarrod Klauer 4-28.

Thackley, who are ninth, made short work of hosts Leeds Modernians, dismissing them for 98 after Mods won the toss.

Craig Wiseman (4-49) and Aftab Khan (5-22) proved a potent new-ball pair and the visitors won by six wickets inside 19 overs as Ryan MacMillan scored 26 and Muhammad Shoaib 41 not out.

Basement boys Rodley are finally off the mark, defeating visitors Horsforth by three wickets with two balls to spare.

Horsforth made 186-8, with Jackson Dodd taking 6-43, and Rodley recovered from 8-2 to just get over the line.

Farhan Ali (27) and Tom Pratt (37) put on 69 for the third wicket, and Dodd (37no) added 61 for the seventh with Daniel Pritchett (29).