NEWLY PROMOTED Ashington claimed their best victory for several seasons by toppling Swalwell.

It all looked like a regulation Swalwell performance when they bowled the Colliers out for a modest 157 as Nicky Phillips claimed another five wicket haul, but a defiant late 32-ball 37 from Greg Williams gave the home team a vital boost, and when Callum Storey (3-15 from 9 overs) and Anirudh Singh (4-16 from 12 overs) whittled their way through the champs line-up even an unbeaten 43 from Andy Smith wasn’t enough to save the day as Ashington won by 38 runs.

Victory lifted the Colliers into third spot, just one point behind Annfield Plain who inflicted a first defeat of the season on Shotley Bridge despite only setting their opponents a target of 129.

Micky Allen’s 43 was the only real bright spot in Plain’s 42.5 over total of 129, with the Bridge pairing of Graham Brinton and Kieran Milburn sharing eight wickets.

But a clatter of early timber left the Bridge in all sorts of trouble, Neil Killeen bagging three cheap victims to open the door for Chaitanya Bishnoi to barge his way through with a spell of six wickets for 15 runs from 7.2 overs as Shotley were shot out for 83.

Tynedale’s 59-run success at Lanchester was inspired by a fine century from Jonny Meadows who cracked 12 fours and four sixes in scoring 108 from 156 balls. That paved the way to a formidable 50 over total of 261-6, as Lanchester were bowled out for 202 with Callum Barnes claiming four wickets.

In the basement battle Ryton defeated Leadgate by nine wickets to dump their opponents on the bottom of the table. Craig Simpson top scored for Leadgate with 6 fours in 40, but with Roald Bandenhorst (3-37 from 12 overs) and Shoaib Akhtar (3- 25 from 12 overs) on song the visitors were bowled out for 132 in 41 overs, and Badenhorst (9 fours and a six in 60) then joined with Neil Robinson (58 not out) to wrap up an emphatic win in just 20 overs at the crease.

Consett’s Gary Hunter ended on 99 not out in his team’s 50 over total of 214-2 against Alnmouth. His innings included 11 fours and 1 six and lasted 157 balls, and with John Chapman adding 76 from 102 balls the pair set up Gareth Breese (6-17 in 12 overs) to wrap up the win as the home team crumbled to 48 all out.