DEFEATS for Benwell and Walbottle and Backworth enabled Ashington to move into a position of real strength in the A2 division when they hammered Morpeth by ten wickets.

The Colliers increased their lead at the top of the table to 25 points as Greg Williams (4-23) helped bowl out Morpeth for 91, and then Daniel Grant hit an unbeaten 68 to rush Ashington to their tenth success of the summer.

Benwell and Walbottle slipped out of the top two when they were bowled out by Whickham’s Dan Davison (6-31) to lose by 73 runs, while Backworth’s hopes were dented by Cowgate as Richard Crawford also dished out a six-wicket display to push them back to fifth in the table.

Alnwick took full advantage of these results to move into second spot with a 14-run win at Newcastle City, Daniel Graham (58) and Michael Threlfall (65) lifting their side to a total of 164, and then Andrew Scott (4-38) headlining in the attack as City were bowled out for 150.

Lintz look set to make way for any upwardly mobile pairing, a 15th defeat of the season against Lanchester, leaving them 67 points adrift of safety with six games left to play.

Who goes down with them is less certain.

Consett currently occupy the other spot, but they showed some fighting spirit before going down to Shotley Bridge by 63 runs, and if they can get some more games out of Gareth Breese they may yet have a chance to escape.

The West Indian bowled 15 overs in taking 4-36, and with Callum Barnes (6-70) picking up the rest the Bridge were bowled out for 194. Stuart Graham’s 15 over spell of 3-30 then ensured the home team were never really in the run chase, but after a difficult start when four early wickets went, they recovered some composure to reach 131.

There were two centuries to savour in other games, Michael Allen hitting 11 fours and two sixes in his 102 not out at Leadgate, although Lee Harrison’s innings for the home team was equally remarkable as he crashed eight sixes on his way to 80 from the number eight slot – he threw caution to the wind after the first seven Leadgate batters mustered 56 runs between them, but his heroics couldn’t stop a nine-wicket defeat.

Ponteland skipper Wayne Ritzema made 111 up at Tynedale, and with Tom Seymour adding a half century they took the game away from their hosts to set up an 80 run victory that moved them back into second spot, albeit 76 points behind Swalwell.