Rain played havoc with the programme for the third successive Saturday and only two games in division one were started which were subsequently abandoned.

At Belmont 34 overs were possible when Plawsworth totalled 135 for the loss of just one wicket. Ian Pratt, who opened the innings, was unbeaten on 61 which included ten boundaries and Stuart Whitfield was 46 not out with one six and give fours.

An early halt was also made in the game at Coundon where Hunwick totalled 163 all out and the home side was 30 for one when the rain returned. After losing a couple of early wickets Hunwick recovered through Urwin (24) and Keegans (68) who put together a useful partnership for the third wicket. Pratt then partnered Keegans and added 34 to the eventual total, while in the Coundon attack none did better than Chris Murray with four for 21. Lee Bell and Anthony Tait both claimed a couple of wickets before Coundon responded and were 30 for the loss of one wicket when the game had to be abandoned.

The four other games in division one were washed out without a ball being bowled, but there was more play in division two and Tantobie managed to secure victory at Coxhoe.

Batting first Coxhoe were all out for 86 as Craig claimed five wickets for a mere 27 runs. Hogarth gave support with two for 19 and both Petrie and Bellamy took one wicket each.

When they went into bat Tantobie reached a match winning 87 for three as Petrie opened the innings scoring 34. English added 20 and Lodge was 19 not out, while for Coxhoe Atkinson took all three wickets to fall for seven runs.

East Rainton were 102 all out at home to North Bitchburn when a halt had to be made. Colledge and Noble both scored 17 but extras at 22 was the biggest contributor. John Allott had a good day with the ball for North Bitchburn capturing four wickets for just 17 runs while Lee returned figures of two for 12 and Tennick two for 28.

At Washington only 21 overs were possible by which stage the home stage totalled 47 for the loss of four wickets against Bearpark for whom Michael Bell took two wickets for just four runs in four overs. Openers Garrod (17) and Bewick with an unbeaten 15 gave Washington a reasonable start to their innings.

Newton Aycliffe batted 39 overs at home to Wearmouth before the rain intervened.

Rob Clarke opened the innings hitting one six and four boundaries and Howe added 26 before Matt Wheeler scored 51 with one six and four fours before he was run out.

Havelock and Lewis both took a couple of wickets in the Wearmouth attack.

No play was possible in the game between Medomsley and Burnhope.

Langbaurgh League

East Harlsey beat the weather and their opponents when they totalled 165 for five and reduced Kirby Sigston to 95 all out.

Peter Mason opened with 28 and Joe Hunter made 73 with four sixes and four boundaries as their pair put together a productive partnership for the first wicket.

Dave Willey then added 40 with one six and two fours and despite Kevin Clarkson bowling 20 overs, nine of them maidens and returning figures of four for 49, East Harlsey still posted a useful total.

When they replied Kirby Sigston were quickly in difficulties but Ian Raynor held the mid-innings together scoring 30 recording one six and two boundaries.

The innings, however, ended at 95 as Johnny Grainge returned the outstanding figures of seven for 38 in 18.4 overs six of which were maidens. He was ably assisted in the attack by Dave Willey who took two for 53.

Maltby also won visiting Swainby, who were all out for 86 after the visitors had realised 205 for six before declaring.

Openers Francis (38) and Close (88) laid the foundations for the formidable total, while for Swainby five bowlers were used in the attack with Leng claiming two wickets for 67 runs.

When they responded Swainby lost early wickets before Theakston contributed 26 but the winning closed on 86 with Cowan returning the excellent figures of four for 17. Baines had two for 30 and Francis two for six.

Only 30 overs were possible for Crathorne who totalled 103 for three in their home match with Ingleby Greenhow. Chris Marshall recorded seven boundaries in 53 and Sam Samarage added 29 with three fours. Michael Fawcett, Briddon and Arthur Fawcett all took one wickets for Ingleby Greenhow before the weather intervened.

The games at Chop Gates, Kildale, Thimbleby and Scruton were all washed out without a ball being bowled.

Foster's Northumberland and Tyneside Senior League

U15s

Sacriston enjoyed their easiest victory for some time when they sent Annfield Plain crashing to just 14 all out.

Ben Hall captured four wickets for just a single run before Sacriston went on to win without conceding a wicket.

Runs wee more plentiful at Swalwell, who defeated Shotley Bridge by 11 runs. Todd Harrison scored more than half the Swalwell total of 92 for seven when he struck six boundaries in 50, while in the Shotley Bridge attack Rourke bowled well claiming four wickets for 14 runs in five overs.

Replying Shotley Bridge ended on 81 for four with Cousins their top marksman with 22.

Blaydon totalled 115 for four but only just beat Crookhall by five runs. Michael Banks found the boundary line on six occasions scoring 57 while for Crookhall Fletcher took two of the four wickets to go down for 20 runs in four overs.

Paul Greenwell kept Crookhall in the game hitting three fours out of 43 but the innings ended on 110 for seven from 20 overs as David Calder picked up three wickets for just 23 runs in five overs.

Greenside overtook the Burnopfield score of 56 for seven with six wickets remaining. Liam McVittie top scored with 20 for Burnopfield and in the Greenside attack none did better than Glen Scott with the excellent figures of four for 13 in fives.

Although Gary Middleton took two ten, also in a five overs spell, Greenside won comfortably.

U18s

Sacriston had seven wickets to spare when they defeated Lintz who batting first ended with 70 for one on the board. Stephen Smith ended undefeated on 31 and Andy Smith contributed 34. When Sacriston replied they lost three wickets, three of them to Andy Smith at a cost of one run.

Burnopfield had nine wickets remaining when they defeated Shotley Bridge. Faced with a target of 111 they were indebted to Mattie Young whose unbeaten 46 included one six and seven boundaries. Nick Young was also in form with the bat for Burnopfield and he had four fours out of an undefeated 39.

When Shotley Bridge batted first they posted 110 for seven which included 31 by Charlton and 25 by Rourke. Nick Young took two for seven in five overs and Mattie Young two for 15 from two overs in the Burnopfield attack.

Greenside were restricted to 47 for nine and went down by nine wickets to visitors Blaydon for whom Stephen Marsh finished unbeaten on 30 with five boundaries.

Brett Little claimed four of the Greenside wickets for just 18 runs in five overs and Andy Miller also bowled five overs taking three for 12.

In the U18 League Cup Ryton made progress at the expense of Blaydon. Batting first Ryton realised 74 for five which included 49 by Chris Nixon while for Blaydon, Mason took four of the five wickets for only 18 runs in five overs.

When they went into bat Blaydon were all out for 47 as Philip Bates took four for ten in 4.3 overs and Joseph Docherty three for three from the five overs he bowled.

The Readers Durham County League U18s

Esh Winning overtook the Crook Town total of 102 for three with eight of their wickets remaining, mainly as a result of the efforts of Karl Turner and Paul Shaw. Turner ended on undefeated on 56 and Shaw contributed 28 to the match-winning total of 104 for two.

The highest score in the game, however, came from Crook Town's Christopher Dye with 57 and Ian Musgrave was also among the runs making 25.

Newton Aycliffe were all out for 48 replying to the Evenwood total of 74 for eight. K Bowey had two for ten and Forster three for 23, the pair each delivering five overs for Evenwood. Robinson was also among the wickets with two for ten from three overs and S Bowey had two for five from the 2.2 overs he delivered.

Batting first, Evenwood also found run making difficult against the bowling of Adam Spenswick and Christopher Wheeler. Both bowlers sent down five overs with Spenswick returning three for 13 and Wheeler three for 16.