Readers Durham Cricket League and Go North East NTSL

AFTER a few weeks of selection headaches Durham City’s fortunes appear to be on the up as they look to reignite their challenge for the Durham Cricket League title.

After losing their overseas player to injury, and also suffering significant player shortages, they had slipped from top spot and seemingly out of contention, but following their maximum points victory over relegation doomed Boldon CA last weekend, they received a further boost with the news that last year’s overseas player, Nick Maiolo, was back in the UK and he will play the rest of this campaign for City.

Durham skipper Jake McCann was naturally delighted to welcome his fellow Australian back after their recent misfortunes. “Our original overseas, Kevin Sukumar, has returned to India to get treatment on an anterior cruciate ligament injury, which is a shame as he had played some really good innings for us,” said Jake.

“He had a pretty tough time over here unfortunately, as he also managed to get chicken pox, so he’ll be glad to be getting some rest and recuperation. When it became clear that his knee injury wasn’t going to clear up, I contacted Nick and he said he’d be able to play for the last couple of months and still continue his studies online whilst he is here.”

Maiolo was hugely influential in City’s Division Two title win last season, with 553 league runs and 47 wickets, and he is sure to give McCann’s side a lift. “It’s an advantage that we are well aware of his capabilities and the lads already know him which is another plus,”

Maiolo will make his seasonal debut in the home game against Bill Quay, with Scott Steel also featuring after his release by the Academy for this match. Quay show one change with Dave Newstead returning in place of the working Micky Orridge.

Durham are currently 44 points behind leaders Esh Winning who look to have a tough home game today when they entertain a Philadelphia side who have only lost on two occasions to date. The table-toppers go into the match without Michael Oughton, a leading batsman who featured in last week’s 195-run partnership with his skipper Dave Lawlor. A decision on his replacement had not been made at the time of writing.

Second-placed Dawdon are poised to pounce if Esh slip-up. They play at Boldon CA and therefore shouldn’t be troubled by the absence of skipper Stephen Gale, his brother Andrew filling in for him in a rare appearance. Mainsforth, still unbeaten, go to Easington with Rob Chismon in the ‘inbox’ this week, and John Colledge also back.

Leadgate’s NTSL survival chances have been given a major boost by the acquisition of Bangladeshi international Mohammed Sharif. After signing Durham’ Jamie Harrison before the season started in a bid to keep themselves clear of another relegation fight, his subsequent move to Stockton left a gap in their playing resources.

But Sharif’s arrival paid immediate dividends, last week’s debut against Annfield Plain seeing him return outstanding bowling figures of 6-14, and the all-rounder then scored 35 not out as his new team won for only the fifth time this season to pull 24 points clear of the danger zone. Sharif, who has played 10 Test matches for his country, makes his home debut today against bottom club Bedlington.

New leaders Shotley Bridge have Lewis Hall and Graham Angus back for the trip north to take on a Tynedale side who are able to name the same eleven who were giving Swalwell a real run for their money last week before the rain intervened.