Leadgate took a huge step towards NTSL survival as they defeated fellow strugglers Percy Main by just five runs, their victory down to the bowling skills of a man who hadn't previously taken a wicket this season.

The home team were on the back foot after being bowled out for 156, Callan McCabe (37) and Darren Benford (41) the principal contributors as Phil Cramman (4-47) and Richie Walker (3-19) looked to have given the Main men a real chance of success.

When Michael Phillips (87) was going well in the run chase the game looked all but up for the hosts until the ball was thrown to fifth-change bowler Robbie Hockaday, who's previous career total of wickets for the club was ten. But whether it was inspiration or desperation it proved to be a match-changing decision as Hockaday removed the danger man Phillips and then cleaned up the rest to finish with a personal best of 5-15.

Still in the drop zone, Lintz went down to their 12th defeat of the summer, but they put up a spirited performance in the local derby at Burnopfield before losing by 36 runs.

The home team made an indifferent start when taking first knock, and it took several valuable contributions down the order to lift them to a decent 253-9.

Chris Snowball hit 40 from the number eight slot but it was Dan Owen's belligerent half-century that really rocked Lintz as the number ten threw caution to the wind with six fours and three sixes in his entertaining, 38-ball 50 not out.

Lintz kept up with the pace in the run chase, Nathan Clennell making 44 at almost a run a ball, but with Dean Owen (3-38) and Anwaar Hafeez (4-38) constantly chipping away at them the visitors were eventually all out for 217 with three overs remaining.

Ryton remain in danger, although their nine-wicket drubbing at the hands of champions reigning and elect, Swalwell, was the least surprising of the day's events.

Roald Badenhorst (83) gave Ryton purpose, but a hat-trick from Nicky Phillips in his spell of 4-37 held the visitors in check.

Set a target of 194-9, run machine Chris Hewison made light of the task with another undefeated century.

In the day's other games, Ponteland brought Shotley Bridge's six-game winning run to a juddering halt, and Lanchester knocked off a stretching Tynedale target of 254-8, with Dan Storey cracking six fours and five sixes in an unbeaten 98.