Champions and early pace setters Barnard Castle entertain Marton at Vere Road. The home side have taken maximum points (50) from their first two games, against Norton and Marske respectively and are unchanged.

Skipper James Finch commented: “Last Saturday was a brilliant performance by us and showed how much our home grown young players, have come on over recent seasons. We are really looking forward to the game and hoping we can perform to the same level again.”

Marton, who beat Norton last week, lost their opening match at home to Stokesley, and are beginning to feel their way back into the Premier League.

Skipper Alex Wardell said: “We will be unchanged from last week and it was a very good result against Norton and we are looking forward to testing ourselves against the defending champions.”

Darlington travel to Hornby Park, the home of Seaton Carew, with 30 points from their first two games and club official Garry Moody said: “Jonny Barnes is back and returns for the unavailable Connor Whitelock. We are hoping to get back to winning ways after disappointing results against Richmondshire in the recent league and cup games against them.”

Richmondshire welcome Great Ayton to Hugill Road and Ayton travel with a very strong team and skipper Jon Grainge said: “Games against Richmondshire are always a great challenge and we will not expect anything different.

“As a club, we expect to be challenging for the league and need to maintain our good start. Several teams have also begun well and not competing, could see us behind the eight-ball, even at this early stage.”

Guisborough play Norton, who have lost their first two games of the season, so they will be keen to put in a good performance at Rectory Lane. The Priorymen have Nick Hood, Tom Gittins and Owen Tennant in for Hayden Bowman, Dan Bowman and Stephen Turner.

Director of cricket Chris Nicholls added: “After a good win against Marton in the Kerridge Cup on Monday, we are really looking forward to the game. We need to be a bit more consistent with the bat and ball, but we feel like we have picked up where we left off from last season.”

Hartlepool welcome Stokesley to Park Drive and Michael Gough from the club stated: “We welcome Jimmy Ward into the team, as he is making his league debut. He is now free from his football commitments with Stockton Town, where they finished champions of Northern League Division Two. Also making his debut is 16-year-old Josh Vaughan, an all-rounder who has progressed through the junior teams.

“We were pleased to get our first win against Norton in the Kerridge Cup last Monday and we are expecting a tough battle against Stokesley.’’

The visitors have won their first two games, to rack up 40 points for the season and Stokesley secretary Mark Smith commented: “James Weighell will probably miss the game due to his Durham commitments. We are hoping to maintain our good start to the season with another solid performance and looking for a good game from South African Aubrey Swanepoel, now he has settled in.”

Marske are at home to Middlesbrough, at Windy Hill Lane and skipper Lee Hodgson said: “We will make two changes for the game, with John Mains coming in for the injured Jonathan Pickard and Craig Gratton comes in for Jack English.

“As a group we're disappointed with last week’s batting display against Barney, but that's in the past now and we move forward onto Middlesbrough, looking to improve that side of things against a team that have started well this season.”

Boro have Sam Gaudie and Richard Knaggs back into the team and skipper James Lowe said: “It will be a tough game that’s for sure, but we have made a good start to the season and we are hoping to improve on last season’s position.”