OTLEY may have beaten Aire-Wharfe League defending champions Collingham on Saturday in the only top-flight match to survive the weather, but Otley president Chris Smith is not holding too much store by it.
“We are not putting a lot of significance on it”, admitted Smith of their 57-run Premier Division victory at Harewood Road.
“Both teams have only had about 10 minutes’ practice on grass, and it was nice to win, but I think that there will be a few teams in with a shout this year.”
Otley, sent in, were 39-3 after the dismissals of Ben Morley, captain Josh Atkinson and Ollie Halliday, but Collingham could not shift opener Alex Atkinson, who was not dismissed until the sixth wicket fell at 179, Otley finishing on 202-6.
Atkinson’s stay lasted 145 balls and included nine fours and six sixes, and he added 103 for that sixth wicket with Damon Reeve (35no) after Charlie Swallow (3-42) had bagged those early wickets.
Collingham were 37-2 before Swallow (34) and overseas player Dinura Gunawardena (37) put on 73 to put them on course on a drying pitch.
However, no-one made double figures after that as Steve Brown (3-21) and Halliday (5-36), the fourth and fifth bowlers used, triggered a collapse that had Collingham losing eight wickets for just 35.
Among the bowlers used before that were Yorkshire player George Hill’s younger brother Freddie, a product of Sedbergh School, whose analysis was 6-3-15-1, and Jake Ross, grandson of David, Jake’s figures being 4-0-20-1.
Smith added: “Ben Morley might score his runs quicker than Alex, but I don’t think that you will see a better batter than Alex, who was outstanding in testing conditions.
“It was a good toss to win for Collingham and I thought that we would be in with a chance if we made 150-180.”
Collingham got their revenge at second-team level, however, winning the Division One clash by 124 runs at Cross Green, with their captain and keeper Alistair Batey scoring 101.
Burley won by four wickets at Tong Park Esholt in a match where both teams scored over 200 in a game of four half-centuries, with Harry Foley (54) and skipper Nick Brook (63no) doing the business for Burley.
The only other first XI match to survive was in Division Two, where hosts Kirkstall Educational beat Shadwell by seven wickets after dismissing them for 49.
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