Darlington Building Society NYSD League
Synners won’t repent if they beat Bishops
GOOD news in Bishop Auckland
has been in short supply so far
this season.
Following a euphoric first day
victory over champions Middlesbrough,
the team has gone into
freefall, with four consecutive defeats,
while also losing star allrounder
Richard Hawthorne to
Swalwell.
Now lying in 12th place, just
above the relegation slot, they
take on Billingham Synthonia at
Kingsway today.
Synners are one place below
them so the match takes on extra
significance, but the clouds have
lifted a little with the news that
former Middlesbrough FC apprentice
Matthew Atkinson is returning
to the cricket after his release
by the football club.
Atkinson is a pace bowler who
can bat and with Guy Wilkes also
available again after his rally driving
exploits for Mitsubishi in
Australia, the Bishops team will
take on a fresh feel.
Billingham will also be
strengthened, skipper Dave Fairley
back after his business trip
last week and Mark Bartley introduced.
At the opposite end of the
table, Richmondshire's young
team continue to fly high, although
they face a tough trip to
Cricket Lane to take on the rejuvenated
Normanby Hall.
It's one in and one out for the
leaders - Jamie Stead returning
after examination work and
Andy Fleming missing to revise
for exams. Hall have Henry
Blackett making his debut after
his transfer from Great Ayton,
and Talib Ramzan returns, with
Mark Lane and Neil Pearson
making way.
Guisborough will be looking to
improve their third position in
the home game with bottom club
Redcar. The Fountains Garth
outfit name an unchanged side
while the Seasiders bring in Shaz
Ahmed, Ryan Lazenby and John
Davis as they battle for points.
South African Warren Swan
has made a huge impression at
Blackhall this season, and he
takes his talents to Middlesbrough
this weekend as the Collierymen
grapple with the titleholders.
The battle between
Swan, third in the league runscoring
charts, and Chetnya
Nanda, who tops the list of wicket-
takers, will be a fascinating
side issue.
Luke Cushlow returns to the
Blackhall line-up after a foot injury
and Phil Bell stands in for
John Darby as last week's century-
maker is away, the champions
are unchanged.
Darlington will at last be able
to parade new Indian professional
Salil Agarkar at Feethams. The
slow left-armer and batsman will
make his debut in the home game
with Great Ayton, who hope to
have Riaz Afridi firing on all
cylinders today - the Pakistani
international was suffering from
jet-lag last week after being
thrown into the fray immediately
following a 22-hour flight from
his home country.
Marske have been quietly
going about their business, with
Kiwi Rob Nichol in stupendous
form. The New Zealander tops
the run-scoring charts with 300 to
his name at an average of 150.
Guy Whatmore is fit to resume
after a knee injury.
Marske will be playing their
1,000th Premier Division game
and nostalgia will no doubt be
part of proceedings as memories
are invoked of their promotion to
the top flight after winning the
old B Division in 1970, and their
amazing Division A title win at
the first attempt, when Dave Halfyard
wrote himself into club
folklore.
The Seasiders take on
Northallerton at Windy Hill
Lane with the visitors having to
start their search for an overseas
player all over again.
The club have given up the
ghost with their registered Indian,
Shreyas Khanolkar, following
weeks of uncertainty. They feel
the root of the problem lies in the
player's participation in the ICL
in March and without any clear
idea of when he may arrive have
decided to draw a line and move
on.
While the portents are not
good at the moment, they were
heartened by picking up their
first victory last week, which
gave them a bit of breathing
space, and they will have Richard
Chandler returning and hope
Richard Bentley's knee injury
will have cleared up sufficiently
to allow him to play.
Hartlepool are one of only four
unbeaten teams and welcome
back key trio Mike Gough, Richie
Lloyd and skipper Ian Palmer for
their game at Marton.
The home team seem to have
mastered the art of unpredictability
following two wins
and two defeats in their opening
games.
Youngster Chris Knight is
turning in star performances on
a regular basis for Saltburn at
both junior and senior levels and
he has been hugely instrumental
in taking them to the top of Division
One.
The Seasiders entertain
Stokesley today, while secondplaced
Thornaby are at home to
Darlington.
9:02am Saturday 17th May 2008
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