OTLEY'S dominance of the Aire-Wharfe League has been broken, with Saltaire crowned Division One champions for the first time in their history after a near-faultless season.

The runaway leaders needed just three points from their final three league matches to secure the title, with a six-wicket win at home to Bilton on Saturday seeing them over the line.

Electing to bat, the visitors could muster just 118, with Jamie Bryant (27) and Sam Dale (26) the best of the batters as former Bilton leg-spinner Mustahsan Ali Shah (4-17) ran riot with the ball.

Awaise Hussain top-scored with a season’s best 59 not out, backed up by Danish Hussain (31), as the hosts took just 28 overs to reach their target on a memorable afternoon.

Rawdon remain second after thrashing relegated Horsforth by 129 runs.

Ben Morley scored his third century of the season with a blistering 125 from just 62 deliveries – including 20 fours and four sixes – to help Rawdon to 345, with Matt James (5-101) and Danny Taylor (4-97) the most effective with the ball.

Horsforth put in a much-improved performance to make 216-9 in reply, with opener Tom Colley (74) and Elliot Mason (43) scoring half of their side’s runs as Morley and George Myers claimed three wickets apiece.

Josh Stephenson was the hero for Otley as they claimed the maximum 20 points at home to Ilkley.

His career-best 128 not out, backed up by Stephen Brown’s 47, formed the majority of the hosts’ 280-5; and Alex Bailey’s fine 86 was not enough to stop his side falling 66 runs short.

Burley-in-Wharfedale put a poor Beckwithshaw side to the sword, running out winners by 217 runs at The Stag Den.

Half-centuries from opener Matt Hastings (98) and Nicholas Brook (53) set Burley on their way to an impressive 302, despite the best efforts of the economical Joe Holderness (5-61).

Nicky Bulcock (4-7) then starred with the ball as the visitors were bowled out for just 85.

Olicanian remain in the relegation zone, despite boosting their survival hopes with a 15-run victory at home to North Leeds.

Tom Smallwood (55) and Tom Starkey (47) propelled the hosts to a competitive 238-9 before a 121-run partnership between North Leeds' wicketkeeper Dom Cowley (69) and Aqib Iqbal (37) set up a tense finish.

But Olicanian did just enough to claim what could prove to be a vital win.

Elsewhere, it was disappointment for Addingham, who were defeated by both Collingham & Linton and North Leeds respectively in a Bank Holiday double-header.

Facing Collingham & Linton, they made 160, with Toby Jacklin decimating the batting order with an outstanding 8-25 before Jonny Haslem (59) and wicketkeeper Dan Kilby (35) secured a deserved seven-wicket victory for the visitors with the bat.

Their luck did not improve against North Leeds at the Homestead on Sunday, with Taran Chana (104) and Farhan Khan (75) helping the hosts record a 75-run victory, despite Addingham’s Dan Ellis (81) performing well.

New Rover confirmed their promotion from Division Two with a 65-run win against Steeton at the Richmond Oval.

Adam Patel (71) and Fahid Rehman (50) made notable contributions in the hosts’ 208, with Gary Boulton (4-41) and Stevie Pearson (3-17) the best of the visiting bowlers.

Wickets fell steadily in Steeton’s reply, with Aqsad Ali (4-30) and Minhaj Patel (4-46) doing the damage with the ball as the visitors could only manage 143.

Behind them, all eyes were on a mouth-watering clash between Horsforth Hall Park and Tong Park Esholt in the battle for the final promotion place, with the sides level on points going into the fixture.

Batting first, a 104-run partnership between Stephen Wilkinson (113no) and Regan Philips (39) formed the backbone of Hall Park’s 297-8, with Josh Bennett (4-76) doing best with the ball for Tong Park.

John Brough sealed the win for his side with a fantastic 5-40 to reduce the hosts to a below-par 154, Tong Park skipper David Hester top-scoring with 42.

Green Lane are up to fourth after leapfrogging their opponents Pool with a 29-run victory at Nunroyd Park.

The hosts had a 111-run partnership between Imran Zaman (89no) and Asif Yousaf (57) to thank for reaching a competitive 285-5.

And though middle-order Will Cooper notched an impressive 81 from 69 deliveries in their reply, Pool could not hold on and were bowled out for 256 with three overs remaining.

BY EMMA KENNEDY