Bishop Auckland reduced Northallerton's lead at the top of the table to just five points when they emphatically won the match of the day.

Following a disappointing batting performance in their previous game, Bishops reacted in the best possible way and, after passing the 200 mark, they sent Northallerton crashing to only 80 all out.

Richard Hawthorne was just four runs short of a century batting throughout and Amul Mazumdar contributed 40 to the Bishops total of 229 for five. Three of the wickets were claimed by George Kay as the home side utilised just three bowlers.

Ben Usher and Phil Timmens struck early when Northallerton replied and the innings never recovered. Usher ended with 4-38 while Stuart Morgan, introduced as third-change, had the amazing figures of four wickets without conceding a run.

At the other end of the table Marske - and Rob Nicol in particular - celebrated. For the Seasiders it was their first victory after seven attempts while Nicol took the man-of-the-match honours on his 21st birthday.

He opened the innings and was still there at the end having hit 15 boundaries in 103 from 132 deliveries as the Middlesbrough total of 198-8 was overtaken with seven wickets remaining. Following an indifferent start, Boro recovered through Colin Haslett (43) and Guy Watmore with 35 but generally the batsmen found Nicol difficult to deal with and his continuous spell of 25 overs earned him 4-79.

Suleiman Benn also celebrated, leading Redcar to a matchwinning 265-5 at Blackhall. He ended undefeated on 101, Mally Whitehead contributed 52 and Neil Russell 42.

The Colliers never got back into the game after losing a couple of early wickets and, although Mahmood Fazal added to his three wickets haul, top-scoring with 32, the innings petered out to 149 as Russell followed up his batting performance by claiming four wickets.

Champions Guisborough won for only the second time with a comfortable victory at Normanby Hall. David Towse, with 5-46 in 25 overs including eight maidens and Chris Murray, whose 16.3 overs spell yielded 5-75, restricted the Hall to 152.

Neil Pearson and Mohamed Zahid both passed 30 but their side's total hardly looked sufficient and Guisborough acquired the necessary runs with five wickets and more than 17 overs remaining. Saul Clifford (53) and Richard Dunn (33) were the principal run-makers.

Darlington RA won for the first time but they had just one wicket to spare overtaking the Hartlepool total of 203-9. Michael Gough (56), John Cannon (36) and Gary Tebbett with an unbeaten 30 all produced form for Pool and in the RA attack, none did better than Andy Russell with five wickets for 47 runs.

Wallace Cornwall and Andrew Chisholm both contributed half centuries to RA's reply but it was still a near thing until Russell made a crucial 12-runs, completing his side's victory. Ashley Day and Ian Jackson both took three wickets for Hartlepool.

Mark Layfield and Andy Mollitt were both in outstanding form scoring centuries in the Richmondshire total of 252-2 at Great Ayton who made a positive reply but were well short of the target.

Chris Murray opened with 80 but at stumps, Ayton were only 203-8 as Shanoka Dissanayake and Clive Layfield both took three wickets.

Darlington required only 25 runs with four wickets intact when stumps were drawn in their game with Saltburn at Feethams. Needing 236, they were given a good send-off by Neil Pratt with 48 and Stephen Chapman (54) but four wickets by John Windows held them up.

Paul Ramage (49) and Adil Ditta, with the game's top score of 87, propelled the Seasiders to their useful total of 235-8.

* Billingham Synthonia have overtaken Bedale after they claimed three points more than their rivals when the pair met in the top-of-the-table clash in Division One.

In a low-scoring game which ended with honours even, Bedale were only 11 runs short of a winning margin but had just two wickets remaining.

Once again, it was the twin attack of Keith Martin and Martin Cull which proved problematic to the batsmen and, but for a splendid unbeaten 71 by Andrew Smith, with one six and six boundaries, Synners would surely have succeeded.

Both bowlers sent down 25 overs with Martin returning 5-82 and Cull 3-40 as Bedale managed only 127-8 from 50 overs.

Runs were just as scarce when Synners took first innings. Martin Humphrey (30) and Simon Driver with 31 enabled their side to make a modest 137 from 46.1 overs with Mark Ellis capturing six of the wickets for just 47 runs in 23 overs.

Seaton Carew enhanced their early-season challenge for honours when they inflicted upon Normanby Hall their first defeat since last July.

The visitors' total of 180-6 looked useful but once Richie Clayton and Martin Skirving went to work, Seaton's target quickly evaporated. Clayton hit a six and ten boundaries in an unbeaten 82 while Skirving, who last week finished unbeaten on 119, again carried his bat for 90 with one six and 12 fours. Seaton romped to 181 without loss in just 34.1 overs.

Batting first, the visitors were indebted to Martin Lane for his 46 and to Phil Gettings who ended undefeated on 34.

In contrast, there was a close finish when Marton defeated Yarm by three runs following their high-scoring contest. Chris Lane scored his second successive century, recording 13 boundaries in 106 and Graham Shaw had 12 fours out of 78 as Marton posted 233-6.

Following a poor start to their reply, Yarm recovered through Barker (56) and Charleston who celebrated his first game, ending unbeaten on 82 with three sixes and six boundaries.

Despite the efforts of the pair though, Yarm were four runs short of a winning margin when the last wicket fell with 230 on the board. Jamie Burke, 17, claimed 3-52 in 11 overs making his debut in the Marton attack. John Leadbitter also took three wickets at a cost of 40 runs in eight overs.

Marske overtook the Stokesley total of 205-9 with four wickets remaining. Their matchwinners were Andy Batchelor who found the boundary line eight times making 78 and Colin Welch with 59. Clive Dowson had a good day with the ball for Stokesley, returning figures of 4-38 in 14 overs.

Batting first, the home side passed 200 mainly as a result of the efforts of opener David Weighell who struck three sixes and 12 fours in an outstanding innings which earned him 121 runs.

Darlington had five wickets left at Thornaby whose total of 156 included 30 plus scores by Chris Gibbon and Michael Muldowney. Stock had a useful spell in the Darlington attack and his 14 overs earned him four wickets for 45 runs.

Danny Morgans dominated the visitors' reply and his undefeated 61 included six fours. Simon Gough gave valuable support contributing 38.

Guisborough were restricted to 129-9 in 42 overs and went down by two wickets to Wolviston following a close finish.

Mark O'Neil sent down 17 overs in the visiting attack, taking four wickets for 40 runs and in a match where runs were at a premium, Wolviston just edged home with their ninth pair at the wicket in the 49th over. Ryan Murray, Steve Trillo and Steve Donlon were all among the wickets for Guisborough.

Runs were also in short supply at Redcar whose total of 133-9 was almost sufficient. Dowson (41) topscored and in the Barnard Castle bowling line-up, David Stanwix returned 4-34 from 18 overs.

The visitors struggled in their reply and were only 118-9 when time was called. Colin Bainbridge, playing his first game of the season, bowled 19 overs for figures of 4-41.