The third top-flight matchday since the opening programme at the end of April, brought a third successive weekend of weather disruption.

Play was impossible in five of the six Division One games, presenting a golden opportunity for Dawdon who started the day two points above the relegation zone, and ended it as joint leaders after sweeping aside the challenge of Boldon CA.

The delayed start reduced the contest to a maximum 65 overs, and CA laboured their way through 35 before their final wicket fell with just 89 on the board. Close-season signing Richard Ede (2-26), along with fellow opener David Coates (2-12), laid down an early marker in bowler friendly conditions, and then John Leslie took out the middle order in a 13-over stint which saw him return four for 33.

There was brief hope when the visitors reached 36-2, but then the last eight wickets fell for 53 more runs. Only number three bat Jordan Patterson was able to resist for any length of time, stoically keeping the home attack at bay whilst wickets fell at the other end. He remained unbeaten with four boundaries in his 36 when the innings ended.

The run chase was done and dusted in 14.2 overs as skipper Stephen Gale (six fours in 28 not out) kept Alan Anderson company as they rushed to victory without mishap, Anderson bringing up his half century along with the win, his 52 not out including 9 fours and 1 six.

The 30-point return lifted Dawdon to 42, enabling them to draw level with Durham City at the summit, but Boldon, in a rebuilding stage, look likely to face a long summer after seeing their position at the foot of the table worsened.

Remarkably, out of the 18 scheduled matches in Division One, just three have generated a definite result, but there has been a little more action in the second tier.

Two games survived on Saturday, and there were important victories for Seaham Park and Ryhope which pushed both of them into promotion contention.

Seaham were inserted by hosts Marsden after a 30 minute delay. They crawled through almost 45 overs in very difficult batting conditions before declaring with nine wickets down to try and maximize their points return in the event they could defend the modest total of 90.

John Sample was limpet-like, facing 119 balls in making a crucial 35 runs, a tally that did not include any boundaries, whilst for Marsden Stephen Neilson excelled in his ten overs, picking up three wickets for just ten runs.

But if the Park batters had found it tough, Marsden found it even more of a struggle against an incisive three-pronged attack. Alex Ludlow (3-21), Siddharth Chitnis (3-19) and Bradley Robinson (3-4) ripped the heart out of the home innings as it collapsed to 64 all out in 27.4 overs.

A reduced overs game at Ryhope saw the home team triumph by 58 runs against Houghton, John Errington the match winner for the home side as he bagged seven wickets as the visitors floundered in a frenetic run chase in which nine batsmen were either bowled or lbw. Victory enabled Ryhope to draw level with Marsden at the summit, and Seaham are just two points further back in third, and with a game in hand.