The Readers Durham County League: A trio of players made half-centuries as Esh Winning posted the highest score on the opening day.

Newly-appointed Pakistani professional Rizwan Quereshi, local lad John Carmedy and debutant Michael Robson, who has joined Esh from Langley Park, all struck form as the impressive total of 230-6 was taken from the Langley Park attack.

Runs proved more difficult for the visitors who were back in the pavilion following 24 overs with 73 runs on the board.

Quereshi returned 3-16 in seven overs and Mark Davison had the impressive figures of four wickets for 20 runs in six overs.

Hylton, playing their first game in the league, celebrated with a handsome victory against Shildon who with only 71, made the lowest score of the day.

Newcomer David Tate (69) and Lee Jackson (39) led the Wearsiders to a useful 178-8 and replying, Shildon found captain David Batty (4-15) in splendid form.

Top performer for Shildon was Craig Pearce whose 12 overs spell was rewarded with figures of 3-45.

Brandon's Australian Jim Allenby was only nine runs short of a century when he was run out in the game with Etherley. He struck three sixes and eight boundaries and, aided by John Moralee's 33, led Brandon to 174-8. Colin Barker bowled a useful end for Etherley conceding 28 in 11 overs for three wickets.

Danny Hinge opened with 48 including seven boundaries but the visiting batsmen found 16-year-old Jamie Robinson in outstanding form and the youngster captured five wickets for seven from 4.4 overs.

Allenby completed a man-of-the-match performance taking 3-14 in nine overs.

Champions Evenwood, whose professional Rayad Emrit did not play, went down by 33 runs to Mainsforth for whom new Australian professional Sam Hogg impressed with figures of 5-18 in 9.3 overs.

Gary Purcell captured four for 40 in ten overs and, despite 43 from John Maughan with three sixes and four boundaries, Evenwood only managed 116.

Maughan and David Wilkinson shared seven wickets when Mainsforth realised 149 of which John Sweeney top-scored with 37 including a couple of sixes and three fours.

Willington overtook the Kimblesworth total of 117 with seven wickets remaining.

There were early successes for the visiting attack before Karl Brown (33 not out) and Chris Moore (42 not out) won the game with an unbeaten partnership for the fourth wicket.

Lloyd Cochrane top scored with 31 for Kimblesworth who found the twin attack of Gary Cummings and Robert Chismon dominant.

Travis Dowlin was in splendid all-round form leading Ushaw Moor to victory at Tudhoe.

Chris Glasper's 38 was the best in the home side's total of 136 as Dowlin claimed three cheap wickets before hitting 59, batting at No 3.