Dukes ECB NEPL, Readers Durham Cricket League, Go North East NTSL

THERE were only two winners in the NEPL Premier Division on Saturday, and one of them was the weather. The other success came at Grangefield where Whitburn dominated the game against Stockton to earn a much needed victory that eased their relegation concerns.

It was a little drier down on Teesside, and Whitburn didn’t waste the golden opportunity to enhance their survival prospects, bowling out their hosts for 122 and then rattling off the required runs inside 29 overs as Joe Coyne raised the tempo with 9 fours and 3 sixes in an unbeaten 62. Earlier Kieran Waterson had set up the victory chance with a season-best spell of seven for 51.

They did their utmost at Ropery Lane to squeeze as much playing time out of the big clash between Chester-le-Street and South North as possible, but after a late start, a further stoppage for rain and then an early abandonment because of fading light, a total of 45 overs were lost with the Cestrians on 135-5 in reply to the Bulls 181-5.

This result, alongside Tynemouth’s failure to beat the elements at Eppleton, ensured Newcastle stayed top, but only just as now only nine points cover the top four sides.

In the First Division leaders Felling (178-6) edged further ahead despite being thwarted by the rain at Washington (95-3) as rivals Willington crashed to an unceremonious defeat at Mainsforth where Jonny Barnes’ 12 maidens in a 15 over spell pinned them to the floor. Barnes (4-11 and 30 not out) enjoyed all-round success as Shaoib Laghari (55 not out) joined him in a match winning partnership in pursuit of a modest 118.

The only other winners on the day were Seaham Harbour, but their first success of a difficult summer had added benefits as it came against relegation rivals Tudhoe who slumped to the foot of the table again after a nine wicket drubbing. Craig Stephenson’s five wickets restricted Tuhdoe to 160-9, a target Harbour skipper Ian Pattison made mincemeat of with 20 fours and 2 sixes in a 90-ball romp which brought him a glorious century with the winning hit.

Burnopfield ploughed remorselessly on at the top of the Durham Cricket League, brushing aside the challenge of Easington by five wickets to move 56 points ahead of second-placed Dawdon who earned less than the table-toppers for their home win over Crook.

In Division Two Ushaw Moor moved into pole position as they hammered rock bottom Silksworth at the same time as former leaders Peterlee were being rolled over by Murton, and with Littletown beating Whiteleas it was they who joined Moor in one of the two promotion slots.

Jamie Robinson (4-17) and Steven Parnaby (3-27) made it anything but smooth going for the Silks, and then Stephen Hancock (87 not out) rushed the Moor to a nine wicket win, while over at Murton it was a solid all-round team effort that toppled Peterlee.

The further north you went on Saturday, the wetter it was, and just one game reached a conclusion in the NTSL with Consett managing to lift themselves away from the danger zone with a ten wicket thumping of Benwell & Walbottle courtesy of Kamran Mansoor.

It was a tale of two centuries, Fenwick Frisken including 8 sixes in a 60-ball romp to 104 as Benwell posted a decent enough 214-7, but then Mansoor thrashed 16 fours and 7 sixes on his way to a blistering unbeaten 149 as Consett won the 40-overs-a-side battle with three to spare.

Up at the summit leaders Ashington were pinned in the dressing room by the weather, but with Lanchester also idle the only team to make any headway at the top was Shotley Bridge who picked up 10 points from their abandoned game at Leadgate.