Dukes ECB NEPL

LEADERS Chester-le-Street take a fully fit and unchanged squad to Hetton Lyons today as they attempt to build on a flying start that sees them 15 points clear of the chasing pack after just four games.

Lyons, last year’s runners-up, have suffered more than most at the hands of the weather, and after four consecutive draws and washouts they are currently in the lower reaches of the table, although they will have a new face in the dressing room today as Darrel Williams makes his league debut.

A student at Durham University, Williams has played half a dozen games for Worcestershire seconds, and also made a first-class appearance earlier this year for Durham MCCU against Somerset. The leg-spinner normally plays for Barnt Green in the Birmingham Premier League.

Benwell Hill’s excellent start to the season came crashing down around their ears last week when they were hammered by South Shields, and the absence of both Zohaib Khan and Jack Clark was undoubtedly a major factor.

Khan, last season’s top League performer, was unexpectedly called back to Pakistan for an impromptu T20 competition, whilst Durham player Clark was due to miss two matches – and as luck would have it they have coincided with Khan’s absence. Both will be missing again when Hill go to Tynemouth.

Stockton face a trip to Blaydon where the home side are waiting on a late fitness test on skipper Andrew Sturgeon’s broken thumb. The Teessiders will travel without the influential Richard Waite as he continues to rest up a troublesome back problem.

In the First Division the two newly promoted sides lock horns for the first time in their new surroundings, with Tudhoe entertaining Burnmoor.

The home side, shaken by last week’s thumping at Brandon, are waiting on fitness reports on influential player Ian Grainger, who was struck on the arm whilst batting last week, so they are delaying naming their team until the last moment. Burnmoor have Neil Young back to put them at full strength.

After several weeks of frustrating red tape, Kamran Shah has arrived in the country and will debut for Eppleton in their game at Felling against an unchanged home side, and another overseas man, Indian Bravesh Shetty, will also come under starter’s orders for the first time when Sunderland entertain a Washington team who have Andy Ebdale back, but are resigned to being without Matthew Potts for some time because of a back injury.