IF SALTAIRE can take at least 18 points from their visit to New Rover on Saturday, they will clinch promotion to Division Two in their first season in the Aire-Wharfe League.

This successful start to a new era at the club would come 100 years after Schofield Swithenbank led them to their first Bradford League title.

The 1917 Saltaire captain did have the considerable benefit of having England Test bowler Sydney Barnes in his line up, taking 116 wickets at an average of 5.52 as they pipped Windhill to the silverware by two points.

This season’s success has relied much more on team performances, with all-rounder Adeel Ashraf leading the way, with his match-winning 6-28 and 39 not out against Harden last week taking him to 24 wickets and 421 runs this season.

New Rover, who have had a modest season by their standards, can still provide a tough test, especially on their own turf, so the clubs behind Saltaire will be flat out to take advantage of any slips.

Olicanian, who currently fill the second promotion spot, entertain St Chad’s Broomfield, the other league newcomers.

The Ilkley side will start as favourites but St Chad’s showed they cannot be taken lightly by virtually ending Bardsey’s promotion hopes last week, and they have already beaten Olicanian once this season.

Having won five of their last six, Green Lane have clawed their way into contention but need to win their three remaining games and hope one of the sides above them slips up.

That sole defeat in the run, failing to chase down Bolton Villas’ target of 80, must be put out of their mind when they travel to fourth-placed Bardsey, another side with some if-only moments this season.

Villas tackle Menston, with Sam Lawrence needing five more wickets to reach 50 for the campaign.

Division Two has mouth-watering clashes at both ends of the table, with second-placed Ben Rhydding tackling Follifoot, who are one place and 28 points behind them.

Ben Rhydding are on a five-match winning streak but will be wary of an attack containing Joshua Cutts, Ishtikhar Hussain and Yasar Ali, who showed how dangerous they can be by bowling them out for 72 when the sides met in June.

If Ben Rhydding get revenge, they will not only move a step closer to returning to the top flight, but could confirm Adel as champions if the leaders take full points off Hall Park.

At the other end of the table, there will be plenty of nerves among the clubs still scrapping to avoid joining Thackley in the drop.

Skipton are currently in second spot, but can boost their chances against a Thackley side for whom little has gone right this season.

Whoever comes out on top in the meeting of Addingham and Calverley should be safe, while the loser will face more anxiety.

And all of them will be cheering on Steeton in the hope they can inflict a fifth successive defeat on Leeds Modernians, whose form seems to have deserted them.

Playing merely for pride, Tong Park Esholt should be too strong for Kirkstall.

There will be plenty of pride at stake too at Beckwithshaw, where Burley will seek to salvage something from a disappointing second half of the season with victory over the side destined to take the Division One title unless they suffer a complete meltdown.

Otley won’t give up hope of snatching the crown until it’s mathematically impossible and will be seeking maximum points at Ilkley.

Pool and Rawdon take on Collingham and Colton, the sides most likely to be relegated, while there is an intriguing match at Horsforth, where North Leeds are the visitors.

Both have spent too much time near the basement this season but found better form in recent weeks, and this could be an entertaining contest.

Guiseley travel to Bilton, with Michael Truswell seeking the 44 runs he needs for 500 against the formidable attack of Kiel van Vollenhoven and Mustahsan Ali Shah, who have 87 victims between them.