Northumberland & Tyneside​ Senior League

ASHINGTON sit proudly on top of the early season NTSL table following an impressive 143-run thrashing of Ryton which earned them their second win of the campaign and left them as the only side with a 100 per cent record.

The home game didn’t start that well for the Colliers as they lost two wickets with just a single run on the board, but Anirudh Singh (40) began the rebuilding process which was impressively taken on by Jack Jessop (44) and Ben O’Brien (77no) as Ashington rattled up 241-7.

New Zealander Roald Badenhorst stood alone in the Ryton response, his 44 being the only notable contribution as Singh bagged a five-wicket haul which held out promise of more riches to come as the season unfolds.

Ryton slid to 98 all out and with just six points after two matches they could be in for a long summer.

With newly-promoted Alnmouth, who had opened with a victory in week one, bogged down by a waterlogged pitch at Leadgate, it was Annfield Plain who stole the other main headlines as they toppled defending champions Swalwell by the convincing margin of 91 runs.

The title-holders lost just once in the 2013 season, but they are already up to that mark following Plain’s display which was built on the back of an outstanding 83 from Michael Allen which lifted the home team to 178, and this despite Nicky Phillips’ six-wicket haul. Indian Chaitanya Bishnoi (4-16) then helped Neil Killeen (2- 12) and Allen (2-16) skittle Swalwell for just 87.

Lanchester moved into second place as they won a low scoring encounter at Consett by 42 runs, a half-century from new boy Greg Patterson underpinning a modest total of 138 before Liam Dixon broke the back of the home line-up with a spell of 5-30.

Shotley Bridge served notice of intent as they blasted out Ponteland for 54, Stuart Graham taking 4-11 from 12 overs and Graeme Brinton 3- 16. The last seven home wickets crashed while just 24 runs were added. The game was then done and dusted inside 17 overs as Bridge won by eight wickets.

There was no such runscoring trouble at Tynedale where the home side amassed an eye-watering 303-9, with Connor Fellowes (64 from 76 balls), Tim Raglan (52, 61) and Thomas Cant (51, 59) leading the charge. Richard Darling (4-27 in 12 overs) then provided the ammunition as Burnopfield were all out for 160.

In A2, Percy Main lead the way following a 53-run success at Seaton Burn. Barry Stewart (69), Paddy Rathbone (4-34) and Richie Walker (3- 11) were the Main men.