STOCKTON’S fifth defeat of the season, and their fourth in five games, brought an end to any lingering hopes that they could retain the championship.

Winners last year for the first time since the league was formed in 2000, their bright start to the summer in defence of their crown turned sour in a disastrous month of June in which they collected just 48 points out of a possible 120. It has continued into this month with just 14 more points added out of a maximum 60.

Saturday’s defeat was by Blaydon by a margin of only two wickets in a game which produced just 19 runs short of 500. Richard Waite (78 and 4-54) was in excellent form for the Teesside outfit who set a challenging 240-8 from their 60 overs. David Seymour (43) and Josh Bousfield (34) helped the score along at an entertaining pace despite Gary Stewart’s 14 over spell in which he conceded 63 runs as he took three wickets. Ross Nicholson (83) and Ryan Buckley (39) hurried the score along towards the 241 they ultimately scored despite Waite’s 19 impressive overs.

South North continue to set a red hot pace as leaders, but Hetton Lyons are not giving up hope of catching them. They defeated Tynemouth to grab three more points than the Gosforth glory hunters who, nevertheless, have a comfortable 34 point advantage over them.

Their latest scalp was that of Chester-le-Street, former champions themselves and always formidable opponents. Just 17 runs separated the teams at the finish but Jonny Wightman (6-37) held the key to his side’s success. He took the important wicket of Andrew Smith for 86 which brought about a collapse which saw six wickets go down for 27 runs in a disastrous slump.

The Cestrians gave their hosts something to think about when they claimed four wickets for just 48 runs in the game’s first hour.

But Stephen Humble (92) and Jonny Craigs (58) gave a rousing response as South North finally reached 218. Calum Thorp and Quentin Hughes each took four wickets to give Chester-le-Street a winning chance, but that man, Wightman, produced the magic with the ball which left them stranded just short of the target.

Hetton’s fighting display was accompanied with a win by four wickets at Tynemouth.

The hosts were bowled out for 169 with three of the five man Hetton attack sharing the wickets.

Martin Pollard (3-29), Lal Kumar (3-35) and Ryan Pringle (2-59) made sure the home team got no more than 169 which the Lyons eased beyond in 52 overs.

Elsewhere, Newcastle left bottom club Gateshead Fell isolated after a defeat by 120 runs, reaching 307- 9 of which Graham Clark hit 126 from 105 balls with 20 fours and two sixes and Jacques Du Toit cracked 62 from 55 balls with nine boundaries. The Fell responded with 187.

In the other games, Benwell Hill beat Sunderland while Durham Academy made it ten draws in 13 outings when their game at Whitburn ended in stalemate.