Sacriston and Swalwell battling for top spot (From The Northern Echo)

Sacriston and Swalwell battling for top spot

1:02pm Monday 16th May 2011 in Wellstream Northumberland & Tyneside Senior League

SACRRISTON and Swalwell are neck and neck as the NTSL hots up, with four clubs, including Annfield Plain and Shotley Bridge, unbeaten after four.

Leaders Sacriston needed to be at their best to stay ahead by two points with Melvyn Betts taking five wickets against Newcastle City before opening the batting to smash a match-winning 69.

City made a challenging 224, with Moh Ali making an unbeaten century, but his three wickets couldn’t stop thier opponents passing the target with six wickets to spare.

Swalwell kept up their momentum when they swamped Burnopfield, bowling them out for 150 thanks to another former Durham star, Nicky Phillips, who took four wickets, and current county player Kyle Coetzer, who hit an unbeaten 71.

Third-placed Annfield Plain had Neil Killeen in tune with four wickets and an unbeaten 63 as his side defeated Lanchester, while fourth-placed Shotley Bridge kept up their momentum with victory over Tynedale.

The League’s top entertainers, Percy Main, who have been involved in two tied finishes, took part in another thriller when they beat Chopwell by seven runs in a game containing 559, Chris Morgan making 109.