THE fascinating fight for the league title took another twist and turn as Stokesley leapfrogged Richmondshire back into second place and, at the same time, moved to within ten points of leaders Darlington.

The Dalesmen lost ground when they failed to bowl out Middlesbrough at Acklam Park and had to settle for a maximum 17 draw points.

But by then, Stokesley, initially three points behind, had set a blistering pace by picking up their fourth 25-pointer of the season with an impressive win at Hartlepool.

It also trimmed back Darlington’s 12-point overall lead to ten even though they completed a double over Marton and looked a more balanced team for the first time in a couple of months.

The main reason was the return to form of Bangladesh Test opener, Rajin Saleh.

He made an unbeaten 90 from 97 balls with ten fours and two sixes as their target of 153 was made with the loss of just one wicket.

Alex Simpson (36) shared an opening stand of 106. It was Saleh’s second best score of the season; his highest, 92, was scored when the teams met at Marton in early May.

Marton’s continued loss of form – they have now lost three of the last four – has put an end to any lingering hopes of a late championship challenge but Chris Veazey celebrated his decision to give up keeping wicket and concentrate on his batting by making a top score of 53.

It came from 68 balls and included seven boundaries.

For the Quakers there were three wickets apiece for Doug Mulholland and Coates and two more for Jonny Barnes, who has already reached 50.

It was a great afternoon for Stokesley’s teenage prodigy, Tom Preece, who hit 79, his second highest in the seniors, against Hartlepool.

He made them at Park Drive from 107 balls with 15 fours. He and Jonny Weighell (81 from 73 balls) shared a stand worth 144 as their side reached an impressive 272-8.

Weighell’s quickfire innings came from just 73 balls as he hit 12 fours and three sixes.

Pool replied with 158, but 30 of these came in a last wicket stand. James Beaumont (5-30 from 15 overs) was the pick of the Stokesley bowlers.

A third century of the season for the Richmondshire skipper, Gary Pratt, was the highlight of an innings which reached 267-8 and shut out any hope that Middlesbrough, even on a good batting strip, would be able to make a challenge.

Pratt’s 105 came from 126 balls with 15 fours and was his second this summer against the same opponents.

But there was another fine knock by Paul Johnston (86 from 119 balls) as Boro replied with 198-8, which was just four runs short of giving them an extra three bonus points.

They had to settle for eight with the draw.

Great Ayton, one of the two form teams in the last third of this season – the other is Stokesley – kept up the pressure in fourth place as they beat Marske by five wickets.

Lewis Harper (6-36) and Nick Hendrie (88 not out) were the stars of the show but Harper just shaded it as man-of-the-match as he grabbed an all-caught hattrick.

Marske were bowled out for 151 and Ayton’s win, their fifth in the last seven, would have been even more impressive if they hadn’t lost late wickets.

Saltburn and Sedgefield, who both lost, continue to look the most likely to return to the lower league.

The Seasiders put up a bold fight against Guisborough who won by three wickets but only had 18 balls left to score the 16 winning runs.

A fifth wicket stand worth 74 between Steve Purcifer (51 not out) and Dan Conway (37 not out) took Saltburn to 202-4 before the Priory club’s skipper, Phil Holdsworth, hit his first century of the season to inspire Guisborough to victory. Holdsworth’s 102 came from 111 balls.

Sedgefield were beaten by seven wickets by Redcar, who moved into a comfort zone out of the bottom four.

Professionals, Muhammed Saad (68 not out) and Muhammad Zahid (5-29) turned the screw on their struggling opponents, bowled out for 125.

Barnard Castle enjoyed their most impressive win – by nine wickets – at Seaton Carew (220-9) when Aussie, Ben Turner hit an unbeaten 98 and shared in stands of 114 with Aamer Sajjad (70 not out) and 108 with Simon Tennant (48). Skipper James Finch (5-71) held Seaton in check.

And Barnard Castle won the Kerridge Cup for the first time in their history when they defeated Stokesley by 33 runs in the final held at Park Drive, Hartlepool yesterday.

Barney made 162-8 in their 40 overs after being 87-0 at one time.

James Beaumont was the man putting the brakes on with a fine spell of 6-39. But then the Barney spinners kept Stokesley under wraps to such an extent they could only struggle to 129-9, James Quinn taking 4-36, and Simon Tennant sending down 17 overs to claim 3-59, a performance that, when combined with his top scoring 44, earned him the man of the match award.