JUST what’s gone wrong at Burnmoor? The champions suffered their third defeat in the last six outings, and in surrendering their home game to Castle Eden they also surrendered the leadership of Division One as both Tudhoe and Esh Winning grabbed their chance for a spell in the spotlight.

The Moor’s latest humbling could not have been more emphatic, going down by nine wickets to a Castle Eden side who had hoped to parade their new overseas signing, but instead managed to get the job done comfortably enough without him.

The home team were rolled over for just 103 in 39 overs, skipper Keith Bailey (4-22) and Ryan Ball (4-20) in top form.

John Spellman junior then guided his side to their win with an unbeaten 49 as the visitors triumphed inside 25 overs.

Tudhoe’s route to the top was painless – at least it was for them, although not so for the visiting Marsden team who were sent home pointless after being skittled for 76 in 21.4 overs as Kishen Kushen (5-44) and Ian Grainger (5-26) completely undid them. Grainger went on to blast an unbeaten 42 from 35 balls as Tudhoe won by nine wickets inside 13 overs.

Esh Winning were the biggest movers amongst the leading pack, taking the maximum points from their home thrashing of Easington by 132 runs, the victory moving them into second spot, just 14 behind the new table-topping Tudhoe.

There were half centuries for Michael Bussey, Steven Jackson and Jon Hodgson as Esh piled on 252-6 before declaring in the 43rd over, although they didn’t need anywhere near the number of overs they had given themselves as Easington were blown away for just 120 in 22 overs, Ryan Moralee picking up the excellent figures of 4-9 in 5.3 overs.

The game of the day came at Bunker Hill where hosts Philadelphia squeezed out a five run win over Mainsforth after setting their opponents a target of 198-4.

Anthony Hornby made 79 from 97 balls, his innings including 14 fours and 2 sixes, but then he had to retire after being injured and it was left to skipper Shaun Smith (48 not out) to provide the finishing touches to the home innings. Mainsforth looked in control of their response, but when in sight of victory a calamitous collapse saw their last five men muster 11 runs between them as Stephen Robinson (5-54) and Lee Innes (3-30) grabbed an unlikely victory for the hosts.

In the other top flight games Steve Chapman (3- 35 and 79 not out) spearheaded Crook’s seven wicket win over a fast fading Dawdon, Sahil Madgaonkar (131 not out with 12 fours and 5 sixes) and Adam Dixon (5-11) enabled Horden to hammer Hylton by 135 runs, and Boldon CA scrambled to a two wicket win over bottom club Evenwood after Ian Male had posted notice of intent with a spell of 7-31.

The big game in Division Two went to Whiteleas as they put a further dent in Durham City’s promotion ambitions., the win lifting them to within two points of their beaten opponents.