THE party’s over, it’s time to call it a day. At least that’s what it feels like after Swalwell brushed aside the challenge of their closest challengers, Annfield Plain, to take a 65-point lead into the final seven NTSL games of a virtually unblemished campaign.

In the first meeting between the sides back in May, the champions had overpowered the Plain. It wasn’t quite so emphatic on this occasion, but nevertheless 95 runs separated the teams at the close after run machine Chris Hewison had blasted another 91 to lift the leaders to a score of 224-8, and then watched his bowlers rip out the opposition for 129.

Hewison’s innings was one of his more sedate affairs. He took 139 balls to hit 11 fours and two sixes, but his 91 runs lifted his league aggregate to an eye-watering 1,179 for the season at an average of 107.

The next player on the list, team-mate Ian Pattison, is enjoying a pretty useful season but he is 527 behind his colleague!

Annfield did get some consolation out of the match, but skipper Neil Killeen stood glaringly alone in his defiance.

He made 72 not out with the next top score being nine.

Guy Saxton did all the early damage with an opening burst in which he took four wickets and effected a run-out which left Plain on 69-5.

At the other end of the table, Percy Main earned themselves some crucial breathing space with a fivewicket victory at Lintz, but they had to work hard for their success after their hosts threatened to post a bigger score than their eventual 219.

Johnny Foster’s opening 91 held out hope of a first win, but Main clawed things back with four wickets from Richie Walker and five from Mark Armstrong, then Michael Phillips made an immaculate 118 not out to secure the win and lift Main 17 points clear of the drop zone.

Consett are the other resident in the bottom two and they also put up a spirited fight. Set a mammoth target of 289-7 by hosts Burnopfield, they got to within 31 runs of that before giving up the ghost on 258-9.

The home team took their run-scoring impetus from Harry Lovell (71) and Jack Self (75no), and despite six Consett players getting decent starts, none could produce a match-winning knock.