DRAKES League Premiership leaders Hoylandswaine opened up a nine-point gap as challengers Elland surprisingly slipped in the title race.

Hoylandswaine were seven-wicket winners at Marsden, while Elland came unstuck at Delph & Dobcross, going down by 15 runs in a low-scoring affair.

At Marsden the home side started strongly with opener Tauseeq Raza setting the pace, but he struggled to find support and ended unbeaten on 79 as his side closed on 177-6.

There was no messing from Hoylandswaine’s in-form opener Alex Morris as he produced a punchy knock of 101 to secure success.

Elland must have been fancying their chances as Delph and Dobcross were removed for just 125 in their clash but, even though Simon Wheelwright hit 54, it was the top flight’s leading wicket taker Arron Lilley who was the match winner with seven victims for 55 runs.

Fourth in table Kirkburton enjoyed a 124 run win at home to bottom of the pile Slaithwaite, with opener Andy Smith making 58 and Greg Buckley unbeaten on 111 as they made 253-4.

Slaithwaite were ousted for 129 as Craig Fletcher and Tom Burkinshaw both collected four-fors.

In the Frank Platt Championship Barkisland took over at the top as they leap-frogged Thongsbridge when they won at the previous leaders’ ground by three wickets.

Thongsbridge were removed for 144, Matthew Steers taking six for 41, and Barkisland then managed to squeeze home to take the six points.

In the Cedar Court Conference the leaders Cawthorne maintained their healthy advantage with an eight wicket win at Paddock, but the limelight was snapped up by Almondbury’s Ashley Brothers who hit 100 in their total of 211-8 at Linthwaite, but he still wasn’t a winner as the home side got home with a wicket in hand – Sajid Bashir scoring a crucial 81.

Former Yorkshire left-arm spinner Don Wilson, who won seven County Championship titles between 1959 and 1968, has died at the age of 74.

Settle-born Wilson took 1,189 first-class wickets in 422 matches between his debut in 1957 and retirement in 1974 and he also claimed 11 wickets in six Tests for England between 1964 and 1971.

After retiring from the professional game he featured in the Huddersfield League for Holmfirth, reaching Sykes Cup finals in 1975 and 1976 and then became the Marylebone Cricket Club’s head coach at Lord’s until 1991, before working as coach at Ampleforth College.