The start to the new season was blighted by rain in the middle of the day, with only two of the 12 scheduled matches reaching a definite conclusion.

The two results came in the second tier with Seaham Park squeezing out a 22-run victory at Langley Park with just a few balls remaining, and Whiteleas making life tough for new boys Houghton.

In the top flight four of the six matches never started, which left the field open to a couple of the favourites for championship success, Esh Winning and Mainsforth, to try and steal a march on their rivals, although in the end both had to settle for draws.

Esh rattled up 158-4 in just 24 overs before declaring, and Durham City gave the demanding chase a real go before finishing on 143-5 after 23. Skipper David Lawlor announced his return to fitness with six fours and two sixes in a 73-ball 69 that inspired Esh, and their total could have been higher but for the intervention of Indian student Kevin Sukumar who grabbed 3-19 to slow things down.

Durham’s Aussie captain Jake McCann then smashed seven fours and four sixes as he raced to 78, but when he was trapped lbw, newly-promoted City’s ambitions of a tremendous opening day victory subsided, and they finished 16 short of the win.

Mainsforth travelled to Crook without their influential overseas star Mohammad Nawaz, and they became embroiled in a low scoring battle that saw 182 runs scored and 19 wickets falling in 69 overs – but no outright result.

Mainsforth looked to be in the driving seat at the interval after dismissing their hosts for 96, Martin Lower profiting from the bowling skills of two veterans.

Jonny Barnes, on debut, sent down nine overs, seven of which were maidens, and conceded just four runs, while Gary Cummings bagged three for nine in his nine overs of pinpoint accuracy. Lower then capitalized on Town’s desperate need for acceleration, and he claimed five for 32.

Mainsforth found the going just as tough at the crease, with Andrew Robinson (3-16) and Andrew Cummings (4-24) pegging them back at every turn, and the visitors were glad to see the curtain come down when they were still 11 runs short of victory with one wicket standing.

In Division Two Seaham Park took to the top of the fledgling table as their new overseas man, Indian Siddarth Chitnis, enjoyed an excellent debut, cracking 13 boundaries as he rushed to a 37-ball 63, and with another debutant, Kit Allan (35), also impressing Seaham were able to declare on 181-8 after 30.1 overs.

Langley Park’s response was spirited, and looked in with a shout as skipper Robin Hiles (45) spearheaded a run chase that saw them on 142-4 at one stage. But Jon Sample’s late intervention, as he took 3-20 in 9.3 overs, saw Langley lose their last five wickets for 17 runs, and the game by 22.

Houghton found it tough going in their first game at this level. They were pinned down to 70-7 in 24 overs as Dave Gilbert took 4-22 for Whiteleas. Sunzow Brahma (33 not out) then ensured there were no alarms as Leas knocked the runs off inside 14 overs.