Lintz went back to the top on a day when, after weeks of interruptions and abandoned matches, only one game was affected by the weather. The other five matches produced positive results with leaders Leadgate coming a cropper at Ashington to let Lintz leapfrog them and turn a ten-point deficit into a nine point advantage.

Leadgate suffered a batting blackout as Ashington's Derek Markham grabbed six wickets. One of his best returns of the season - six for 27 - meant Leadgate were never in with a chance of overtaking the home side's 185 for three. They finished all out for just 93.

A century-plus opening partnership between Paul Straker (68) and Neil Wood (54) laid a solid foundation for Ashington.

Lintz took full advantage of playing bottom club Percy Main. With three wickets apiece for Graeme Clennell and Gary Christie, their visitors were back in the pavilion for 74 for the new leaders to win by seven wickets.

Any lingering hopes Shotley Bridge might hold for making a championship challenge have disappeared with defeat at home to Annfield Plain. The visitors didn't find runs flowing against the Shotley attack of Phil Carlin (three for 20) and John Collingwood (three for 28) and might have thought they hadn't enough on the scoreboard at 131 for nine.

But Saqib Khan (six for 52) demolished the cream of the home batsmen as Shotley were bowled out for 119.

Swalwell and Tynedale changed places in the table as the result of their meeting which Swalwell won by a comfortable five wicket margin.

Sacriston got closer to the comfort zone by moving away from third bottom with a win against Morpeth. Stephen Peel (four for 29) and Martin Hubber (three for 24) made sure the visitors were confined to 98 but it wasn't all plain sailing as they lost eight wickets passing the target.

Ian Pattison (33), Melvyn Betts (22) and Harry Hubber (21) saw them home despite two wickets apiece for four of the visitors' bowlers.