STEETON’S remarkable rise towards safety in the Airedale & Wharfedale League Premier Division has continued.

Their defeat of Horsforth Hall Park on Saturday was their sixth straight victory since they lost by two runs to Burley on July 13.

In what was a repeat of the recent Waddilove Cup final, which Hall Park won, the visitors were asked to bat at Summerhill Lane and recovered from 49-5 to 204 via a century by Andy Bairstow (102), who featured in stands of 56 and 91.

Ben Hemsley caused damage at both ends of the innings to finish with 5-38 and he was backed up by Paul Quinlan (2-14) and Steve Pearson (2-52), whose economy rate took a hit for once.

Hemsley, who is in a purple patch, then starred with the bat, putting on 47 with both Luke Chapman (14) and Max Harrison (16) and 65 with James Robinson (39) before being dismissed for 82 (matching his cup final score), which came off 105 balls and contained 11 fours and two sixes.

Keeper Adam Smith (20no) then helped Steeton to a five-wicket victory with 10 balls to spare, thus gaining revenge for their cup defeat.

Steeton are still third from bottom, but are now 36 points ahead of Rawdon, albeit having played a game more.

Mid-table Skipton lost by three wickets at home to promotion-chasing Kirkstall Educational in Division Two.

Choosing to bat at Sandylands, Skipton made 180-7, with captain Gary Owens making a third of those, despite hitting only three fours.

He came to the wicket at 53-2, which soon became 58-4, but added 74 for the fifth wicket with Malcolm Birks (29) and 35 for the sixth with David Bunyan (15).

Skipton had real hope when Eddies were 46-5, but a stand of 102 for the sixth wicket helped them to a three-wicket win with 4.5 overs remaining.