THE hopes of Hetton Lyons putting pressure on the leaders, South Northumberland, suffered a setback on a day which saw just one of the six top-flight games achieve an outright result.

Starting the afternoon 33 points adrift, they finished a further seven points from their target as their game with Blaydon lasted less than 30 overs while the Bulls squeezed in 63, more than twice as many, at Stockton.

They also got twice as many points on the day having batted first to make 172 for six in 35 overs with another fine innings from skipper John Graham, who made an unbeaten 59 from 50 balls.

Opener Karl Turner set the pace with 38 despite an attack led by Josh Bousfield (2-46). There were also two wickets apiece for Joel Thwaites and Richard Waite.

Thwaites bowled 11 overs for 44 runs and Waite had ten at a cost of 49 runs.

In reply, the Teessiders managed only 119 for 7 from their 28 overs with 38 from Jimmy Ward, who opened the innings, and an unbeaten 32 from the talented Bousfield.

The hosts faced a difficult fight after losing their first two wickets for one run, David Seymour and Matty Brown both removed by Jonny Wightman (2-62 from nine overs). Stephen Humble (2-17 from eight overs) and Lee Crozier (2-20 from six) made sure none of the batsmen got settled.

Hetton Lyons, at home to Blaydon who are two places and 59 points behind them, struggled to 41 for four when the change in the weather brought about the abandonment.

The big surprise involved bottom club Gateshead Fell who won for the first time this season.

They beat Tynemouth in a nail-biting finish after being set a target of 162 and managed it with their last two batsmen at the wicket.

The game was reduced to 70 overs and Tynemouth showed their fairness by declaring after 33 of them.

Andrew Smith hit 52 from 76 balls following an opening partnership worth 50 between Nick Armstrong (34 from 31 balls) and Ben Debnam (21).

Fell replied with spirit and a 53-run second wicket stand between Tom Pinkney (22 from 21 balls) and Adam Whatley (38 from 26 balls) took them to 113-3 quickly.

They even overcame a mini collapse with the next four wickets falling for just 16 runs.

But Sam Roseby (48 not out) stood firm, and with Cameron Oliver, the last man, keeping cool they won with two balls remaining, Oliver cracking the winning boundary.

In Division One, there was a similar tale (three abandonments out of five) with Willington moving off the bottom by recording their second win in succession after previously going winless all season.

Three individual innings stood out in the two matches where there was some significant play.

Washington’s Darren Hickey smashed 86 not out from 33 balls, his blast including nine sixes, although his team were unable to force a victory over Sacriston.

Willington skipper Calvin Stephenson launched five sixes and six fours in a bruising 63 scored from 24 balls to defeat Brandon, Stuart Poynter desperately unlucky to be on the losing side after finishing on exactly 100 not out from 101 balls.