ED BROWN hit a century in an entertaining game at Steeton, where Burley continued their winning start to the Aire-Wharfe League season to top the early Division One table.

Steeton set the tone with a bright innings of 231. Andrew Foulds made 48, while James Emmott (58) and Paul Hardwick (41) shared a last-wicket stand of 104 – a new league record.

Charlie Davy (41) led the response with Nick Brook, who had earlier taken 5-40, hitting 32 before having to retire hurt. But Brown stepped into the breach and made sure of victory with a classy 100.

Otley rattled up an impressive 294-9, with David Hester (73) and James Davies (74) leading the way – but with heavy rain meaning Collingham lost 26 overs, it looked as though the effort might be in vain.

However, a hostile seven-over spell of 4-20 from Ricky Halloran saw the visitors skittled out for 55 as Otley took maximum points to sit one behind Burley.

Rawdon reached 274-7 at Kirkstall, thanks to a half-century from No 7 Ryan Gladwin and an unbeaten century stand for the eighth wicket between Andrew Doidge (80no) and Anthony Gilks (37no). But the rain thwarted their hopes of victory, ending play with the home side on 74-2.

There were more middle-order heroics from Nick Cockcroft (44no) and Rob Spivey (50) but the rest of the Ilkley side found Istikhar Hussain (7-49) tough to handle and they were dismissed for 157 in reply to Beckwithshaw's 225-7.

It was another gloomy day for Guiseley (164), who went down by six wickets to Bilton despite a half-century from opener Damon Reeves.

Red Bolton smashed ten fours and six sixes in making 103 not out off 57 balls to help Ben Rhydding to 260-9 in their Division Two clash at Tong Park Esholt, Robbie Miller adding 61.

The home side were struggling at 132-7, despite Ross Todd's 61, when the match was abandoned.

Phil Atkinson (44) was top scorer in Green Lane's 228-7 but their game against Harden also lost the battle with the weather, the visitors being 82-3 at the close with Michael O'Flaherty unbeaten on 42.

Gareth Lee followed up the previous week's unbeaten 80 with 101 not out and, with Chris Gordon (58) and Ollie Hardaker (71) also in good form, Horsforth raced to 277-3, only for the rain to come before Pool could start their reply.

Keir Nelson (42) and Richard Nichols (38) led Skipton's response to Adel's 242-8 but, with Andy Laws following up his 110 not out with a 5-64 spell, the home side went down by 36 runs.

Jonathan Rudge looked to have given Thackley the perfect platform when his 5-37 spell reduced Knaresborough to 121 – but Thackley found batting even harder and were bowled out for 80, with Dave Girling taking 5-15.

In Division Three, half-centuries from Scott Sanderson and Harry Smallwood and an unbeaten 103 by Jamie Hudson helped Olicanian to 248-3. Matthew House then took 3-9 as Hall Park staggered to 142 all out.

Lee Margerison (57), Luke Stockhill (51) and Michael Clarke (67) were the main contributors to Bolton Villas' 255-7. Addingham made a lively response, with Nathan Harford making 62, but they did not have enough overs to get beyond 205-7 so had to share the points.

Menston struggled to contain the batting of early pace-setters New Rover, who raced to 264-9. Shahid Bashir made 43 in the reply but, with Nick Platt taking 7-43, Menston were dismissed for 169.

Naveed Panesar's 53 not out was the highlight of Calverley's 134 and the game was finely balanced with Old Modernians on 39-2 when rain stopped play.

Silsden (100) went down by eight wickets against a transformed Alwoodley side who find themselves second instead of their usual second from bottom.

*There were two hat-tricks in the match when Menston visited Collingham in a second-team clash.

Andy Boyle (5-55) took three in three in Menston's 171-9 and his other two were off successive balls – he was a fingertip away from a second hat-trick.

Kaustubh Pathak's 4-35 also included a treble as Collingham were dismissed for 168.