The George Mann Cup: The 75th anniversary year of the competition, which is being sponsored by Weardale Steel, got away to a good start with a cracking first match, where Wolsingham Club narrowly beat the holders, Wolsingham Mill Race.

Wolsingham Club batted first and made a good start when Nigel Percival and Derrick Elliott put on 41 for the first wicket. The Mill Race received encouragement with a couple of quick wickets but a steady partnership between David Gillies and Andrew Shuttleworth took the Club to 103 when the overs ran out.

The Mill Race made an excellent start and looked to be on course for victory when John Nelson made 11, Peter Booth 17, Josh Wilks 25 and Richie Pringle 25 but the later batting collapsed with a couple of wickets each from David Little and Reg Savory. James Coxon managed to add 12 not out but the run race fell short when the Mill Race stood at 99 with the overs completed.

Eastgate Cross Keys batted first against Wolsingham All Stars and kept up a steady run rate which amassed them a total of 108 all out, with Ian Tennick making 22, Willy Hutchinson 20, Colin Perry 18, Raymond Snaith 13 and George Wearmouth 11. The All Stars reply saw Kevin Walker make 21, James Everitt 20 and dave Alderson 19 but they were dismissed thirteen short of their target.

Weardale Steel made the best score of the first week when they put on 115 all out against Tow Law All Stars, led by new captain, Adam Orton, who set a good example to his team by dismissing the openers in his first two overs. However the Steel men settled with Ken Sanderson, Steve Winter and John Stewart making 25 each. The Lawyers reply saw opener, David Craggs make 25 but he saw many colleagues dismissed without troubling the scorer. However a late flurry from Lee Stockdale with 13 and Marc Plumb with 20 brought their total to a creditable 80 but well short of their target.

The match between Stanhope Grey Bull and Wolsingham Teachers was called off for rain with both teams taking one point each.

The fixtures for next week are: Monday - Wolsingham Club v Wolsingham All Stars; Tuesday - Eastgate Cross Keys v Weardale Steel; Wednesday - Wolsingham Mill Race v Stanhope Grey Bull; Thursday -Wolsingham Teachers v Tow Law All Stars. All matches are played at Wolsingham School and Community College.

Bass North Cleveland League

Several games failed to start but Paragonians managed a double in that they beat the weather and Normanby Parklands. Batting first Normanby Parklands were restricted to 72 for seven in 27 overs and their top scorer was opening batsman Flynn, who made 28. Joe Melrose sent down six overs in the Paragonians attack claiming three wickets for five runs and Rhoden, Allison and Hughes were also among the wickets.

With rain threatening Paragonians wasted no time and reached the modest target of 73 losing just one wicket in 19 overs. Melrose was also in form with the bat and he hit two boundaries in an unbeaten 33 while Briscoe added 22 not out to an unbroken second wicket partnership.

Loftus A were 33 for two with Pearson unbeaten on 33 at home to Staithes for whom Theaker took both the wickets to fall for just nine runs and at Norton, the home team were 91 for nine against Brotton. Pritchard, with 23, top scored with the bat and in the Brotton attack none did better than Whitwell with figures of four for 23. The other four players to bowl, N Brotton, Youlman, M Brotton and Smith shared the other five wickets.

In division two New Marske posted a useful 143 for nine at home to Loftus who were unable to start their reply. Jez Alderson hit one six and nine boundaries scoring 61 of the New Marske total which was compiled from 49 overs. Shaw was in good form with the ball for New Marske capturing four wickets for 49 runs, while Morrison, Bowman and Kentfield shared the other four wickets.

Normanby Parklands were 47 for four when they hosted Blacksmiths Arms. Fox was unbeaten on 24 and for Blacksmiths Arms Prosser took three of the four wickets for 23 runs. The other wicket was claimed by Campbell for three runs.

Roseberry Group North East Durham League

The game between Coundon and Plawsworth was at an interesting stage when the rain arrived. Faced with a target of 113 Coundon were 12 for one from 2.4 overs.

Karl Pring hit four sixes and two boundaries top scoring with 44 for Plawsworth whose innings ended following 36 overs. James Petrie was in good form with the ball for Coundon and his six overs yielded figures of four for 13. Chris Murray captured three wickets for 31 runs in 12 overs, three of which were maidens, while Stephen Toban bowled five maidens in the 11 overs he sent down and returned figures of two for 12.

The game at Hunwick ended with the home side on 93 for eight from the full 45 overs when East Rainton were visitors. The Hunwick batsmen found run making difficult on the rain affected wicket and Martin Keegan with 25 provided the top score, but later Breen added 18 and Little an unbeaten 21 batting at number 10.

Roy Richardson bowled a good end in the East Rainton attack claiming three wickets for only 10 runs in 12 overs including five maidens and John Roberts had two for 17 in 11 overs, including three maidens.

Wearmouth reached 171 for seven at Coxhoe, who were 42 for three when the inclement weather intervenes.

Gary Pickering added 28 early in the Wearmouth innings, but it was an unbeaten 40 from Stephenson and 39 by Crowe late down the order which propelled the total to what would have been a formidable target for Coxhoe. Adsett with three for 26 and Bloomfield, who took two for 25, shared five of the seven wickets to fall and the other two were taken by Maddison and Appleby.

Coxhoe set about their target and although Strange went early, Adsett (17) and Whitfield with an unbeaten 11 helped the score along to 42 for three when the game was abandoned. The weather seriously affected the division two fixtures. There was little play, but East Rainton managed to start their game with Bearpark only for it to be called off with the home side on 29 for two.

There was more play at Washington where 45 overs were bowled by the North Bitchburn attack to the home batsmen who realised 125 for nine. Allott, with four for 38 and Tennick whose three wickets were taken at a cost of 14 runs, top performed in the North Bitchburn attack while Morgan picked up a couple of wickets for 38 runs. North Bitchburn made just six without loss before rain finally drove the players from the field.

Langbaurgh League

The weather took its toll and all matches were either cancelled or abandoned.

There was no play at Kirby Sigston where Crathorne were due to be the visitors, while Swainby were unable to field a team at Skelton Castle.

In other games Stafford Place were defending a total of only 71 against Broughton and Kirby who were 20 for nothing when the rain arrived.

Bladen, who claimed five wickets for just 12 runs, Harris with three for nine and Smith, whose two wickets cost him 45 runs, were the bowlers who put Broughton and Kirby into a strong position bowling out the home team for just 71.

Scruton managed 153 for five and Thimbleby replied with 19 without loss as an interesting game was in prospect. Plews (39) led the Scruton early order batting and after Norman went for 28, Barritt carried his bat for 53 to help take his side to a useful total. Brundell claimed three of the five wickets for 22 runs and Thompson returned two for 58.

Reed (27) and Pugh (43) gave the Hutton Rudby innings a good start and after Cooke departed with 22 Fielding finished undefeated on 33 as a total of 169 for eight was realised at Maltby for whom French returned four for 33 and Barber four for 49. Maltby were unable to start their innings.

Kildale were another side who did not make it to the wicket. Chopgate batted first and were 42 for three with Dan Doughty taking all three wickets for ten runs before the weather intervened.

The same fate was suffered at East Harlsey who had visitors Ingleby Greenhow on 26 for four. Willey captured three of the wickets for nine runs and the other wicket was taken by Grainge for 17 runs.