And there was no denying that Elland deserved their win as they edged an enthralling game by just two wickets in an exciting finale to claim their fifth win in a row.

The visitors had started steadily and looked destined for a towering total when they passed the hundred mark with just two wickets down and plenty of overs left.

But Indian spinner Madusudan Acharya then began to weave his magic and turn things the home side's way, bowling through the innings and finishing with six wickets for 83 runs as Skelmanthorpe closed on 182-7, a total which owed a lot to a tenacious 69 by wicketkeeper Max Joice.

Before Elland began their reply, opener Ryan Robinson was presented with his cheque for being the first to 500 runs in league matches this season, and he carried on the good work when he reached the crease.

Despite the early loss of Lee Baxter and then Richard Blakey with the score on 73, Elland looked to be closing in steadily on the target, but when Robinson was trapped lbw for 73, they began to wobble.

James Thornton's 23 was the next highest score after Robinson and with the home side slipping behind the clock, the leaders sensed victory.

The loss of Elland's last experienced player, skipper Gary Jakeman, left them tottering at 151-7 and looked to have put paid to their victory bid, but the younger elements stepped up to the plate to see them home to a win which has left them just six points behind Skelmanthorpe.

Not to be outdone, Barkisland showed why they have solid title aspirations of their own as they consolidated their position at the top of the Frank Platt Conference with an impressive 16 run triumph over visitors Kirkburton in an Inter-Conference clash.

Like the hosts, Kirkburton were relegated from the Premiership last term and also have ambitions of a quick return, so a close encounter was always in prospect and so it proved.

Barkisland started steadily with a 40 run opening stand which ended when Simon Wheelwright fell for 17, but his opening partner Paul Winrow held firm on a difficult pitch and he eventually made 40 invaluable runs.

Former Southowram man Ben Wells then chipped in with a breezy 32, but there was little support from the rest of the batting line up and with a final total of 135 all out on the board it looked to be in the balance.

But Barkisland's overseas amateur Tinashe Panyangara was in sparkling form, turning the game his side's way with a superb spell of bowling to claim eight for 63.

Tom Burkinshaw with 36 provided some determined resistance, but Panyangara was in unnstoppable form and bowled his side to the brink of victory before a 16 run triumph was duly completed when Winrow polished off the last two wickets.