Foster's ECB North-East Regional Premier League: South Northumberland, aiming to win the championship for a third successive year, took over at the top when they had runs and time to spare at Stockton.

John Graham's side have come good in recent weeks - as Stockton found to their cost when they toiled in the field for 60 overs while the visitors realised 237 losing just six wickets.

The foundations for a winning score were laid by Adam Heather and James Miller who added 95 for the first wicket. Heather's top-scoring 74 included 11 fours and 44 of Miller's 52 runs came in boundaries.

Chris Hewison (32) maintained the momentum despite Ian Still capturing five of the six wickets to fall for just 50 runs when he was introduced as fourth change into the home attack.

Stockton's reply never threatened despite 38 with five fours by Scott Gillespie.

Stephen Humble has hit a rich vein of form and the paceman captured five for 38 in 15 overs, eight of them maidens. Pakistani Waqas Chutghai returned three for 36 in 10.3 overs and Stockton were back in the pavilion following 50.3 overs with only 157 on top.

Sunderland, who went into Saturday's programme in pole position, lost for only the second time when Durham Academy won an exciting finish at Riverside.

Faced with a near-200 target, the Academy won with their ninth pair at the wicket. Cummins (47), Mohamed (34) and Richard Coughtrie, who contributed a vital unbeaten 35, all found form with the bat.

Although several players passed the 20 mark, it took an unbeaten 44 by Imran Shah batting at number eight to raise the Sunderland total to 195 as Cummins took four for 31 and Chris Rushworth three for 72.

The clash between Gateshead Fell and Chester-le-Street went in the home side's favour when the Cestrians lost their last wicket with two balls remaining.

Their target was 233 in 51 overs, but they managed only 171 with skipper Allan Worthy (41) top scoring. Nicky Phillips was the matchwinner, his spinners earning six for 70 from 16 overs.

Australian Callum Ferguson, with one six and 11 boundaries out of 93, and Ian Pattison, who struck a six and nine fours in 63, added 82 for the Fell's second wicket which set the scene for a declaration after 55 overs with 232 for seven on top.

Norton had seven wickets to spare against Newcastle after Jonathan Kean reduced the visitors to 144 all out.

Chris Fawcett (44) and John Watson, who batted throughout for an unbeaten 51, gave the Norton reply a perfect send-off and the target was comfortably met.

Despite scoring 224, Blaydon lost by three wickets to Tynemouth.

David Barrick raised Tynemouth's hopes with 67 before Barry Stewart (76 not out) and Ben Debnam (30) shared a big partnership which put the side within sight of victory before it was broken.

Ian Somerville opened with 61 for Blaydon and Ray Marshall added 45 as the six-man Tynemouth attack struggled to contain the scoring before Blaydon found it even more difficult in the field.

Philadelphia remain bottom after losing by almost 100 runs to Benwell Hill at Bunker Hill.

Durham County's Mark Turner played his first game in five weeks but South African Brett Pelser with five for 64 from 18 overs - his best figures of the season - who troubled the Hill.

Three other bowlers between them managed just one wicket and the visitors, who scored freely towards the end of their innings, ended with a creditable 228 for seven declared.

Stuart Walker, by far Phili's top performer this season, opened with 46 but the innings stuttered to 129 all out. Taufeeq Umar made up for his rare lapse with the bat, returning four for 27.