Newton Aycliffe are the new leaders of Division One after they beat the weather and Simonside at the weekend.

After posting the healthy total of 235 for nine, Aycliffe dismissed Simonside for 154.

The home side lost a couple of early wickets before Bell (42) and Roberts with 55 put together a productive partnership for the third wicket. Wheeler then added 31 and although Thompson took four for 41 Simonside still faced a formidable target.

Thompson who opened and David Connelly, at number three, both made 16 as did Phinn but it was until Thompson went to the wicket that Smith found a partner in good form. Smith contributed 42 and Thompson 44 but even so Simonside fell well short. Little, who opened the Aycliffe attack captured three for 31, G Williams had two for 14 and Stuart Mitchie claimed three for 11. J Williams also chipped in with two for 17.

East Rainton, who have been in pole position for most of the season, are now second one point behind Newton Aycliffe, their game with Hunwick was timed out with the visitors total on 118 for six. Alderson opened and scored 51 but with the addition of 31 extra, Hunwick were still only 118 for six when rain drove the players from the field. Ludlow took two of the wickets for 31 runs and Proud had two for four.

Throughout the league, rain caused problems but Hospitals completed their fixture with Medomsley. Batting first, Hospitals raised 169 for four which included 64 by G Shaw and 45 from W Shaw. Dixon was the most productive bowler in the Medomsley attack taking three for the four wickets to fall for just 40 runs.

When they went into bat, Medomsley had opener Walls in form and he made 39 before being dismissed. Ringer added 36 but a total of only 147 was achieved leaving Hospitals winners by a margin of 22 runs. Paul Tansey claimed four wickets for 63 runs and Fred Sherriff took four wickets for a mere 17 runs in the Hospitals attack.

Washington were 151 for four in their home game with Littletown before the weather intervened. Thompson (62), and Lyall with 41 gave the innings the perfect start and Rayner contributed 27 but in the end the only winner was the rain.

Little play was possible at Carley Hill where Wearmouth were 52 for one at home to Coxhoe but Plawsworth staged their game on Sunday without interruption. Batting first, Plawsworth totalled 129 for nine which included 37 by Peter Harwood while for Coundon, Murray captured four for 33 and Tobin three for 26. Coundon went on to win when they conceded just four wickets. Bell was in good form making 59 and Tate contributed 49 while for Plawsworth John Gott was the most successful bowler taking three for just 29 runs.

The top of the table Division Two match between leaders Belmont and Kelloe was quickly abandoned, with Kelloe, who trail Belmont by a substantial deficit, on 54 for three. Welsh had taken two of the wickets at a cost of just 13 runs.

The game at North Bitchburn was completed with a victory for the home side over Washington. When they made first use of the wicket Washington laboured through 45 overs making only 90 for nine which included an unbeaten 20 by Andrew Brown. Graham Dalton was in good form with the ball for North Bitchburn and from 11 overs he took three wickets for just 25 runs. Morgan and Kennick had an identical analysis of two for 20 and Lee also gave support in the attack with two wickets for 23 runs.

Replying, North Bitchburn won in 28 overs losing just three wickets. Graham Dunn struck one six and three boundaries in 31 and John Allott carried his bat for 33, recording six fours.

Benwell Hill had 59 runs to spare at Burnhope following a high scoring game which produced 459 runs.

Batting first Benwell Hill realised 259 for five as the runs flowed from John Walder (79) Harrison with 38, Clayton (27) and Moore, who carried his bat for 61. Reynoldson, introduced as third change into the Burnhope attack, took three of the five wickets to go down for just 26 runs.

Responding, Burnmoor totalled 200 all out. Opener Coverley gave the innings a good start with 59 before Trow added 38 and bates 49. Weatherhead had a good day with the ball for Benwell Hill ending with three for 44, Taylor took three for 59 and James Kilpatrick captured two wickets at a cost of 44 runs.

After reducing Kibblesworth to 51 all out, Tantobie won by six wickets. Bell made 18 before Bellamy ended with 13 not out as Tantobie replied with 55 for four. Two of the wickets fell to Dent for 25 runs.

When they made first use of the wicket Kibblesworth struggled as Brown claimed four wickets for 18 runs, Bellamy three for 16 and Greenside two for seven. Whiteleas were 155 all out when rain caused the abandonment of their match with Wearmouth. The openers, Wilkinson (70) and Sowden (42) were involved in a big partnership which laid the foundations for the Whiteleas total. Paul Lewis conceded just 29 runs claiming three wickets for Whiteleas for three wickets while Walton took two for 16. Murphy two for 37 and Turnbull was also in on the wicket taking act, his two costing him just 16 runs.

Little play was possible at Bearpark before the weather closed in. East Rainton were 86 for five which included 33 by Bell and 28 from Iley while for Bearpark Willis returned the splendid of three for 18 and Bell captured two for 22.

The game at Littletown was completed and there was victory for Plawsworth. When they batted first, Plawsworth ended with 176 for six on the board with most of the runs coming from Corner (32), Prested (30) and Karl Pring who made a top scoring 41. Later in the innings Robinson added a valuable 31 and for Littletown Russell took two for 42 and Nixon two for 45.

When they went into bat, Littletown lost their opener for a combined total of just one run before Russell (50) and Thompson with (43) put together a promising partnership for the third wicket. Following their dismissals, however, wickets fell cheaply and innings ended on 129 all out. Pring completed a good day for Plawsworth claiming three wickets for just 28 runs and Hinton took three for 15. Corner, who claimed thw wickets of both openers, followed up his good batting performance with two for 37 and Morrison, a late introduction into the attack returned two for one.

Charity match

Bishop Auckland Hospital Doctors cricket team regained the Tylex Trophy with an eight-wicket victory over Bishop Auckland Social XI in their annual charity match at Kingsway on Sunday.

This was the 18th time the trophy has been contested, the event raising thousands of pounds for children's hospital charities.

The Social XI made 79-8 in their 20 overs, with Mark Stones 25 not out.

For the Doctors XI, Tony Senadhira took three wickets for six runs in his two overs, and Dennis Canney 2-8. In reply, the Doctors XI made 80-2, both wickets falling to runouts.

Man of the match Alan Snaith, who conceded only three runs in his two overs, was the top scorer for the Doctors with 25 not out. Hamish Disanayeke made 18no and Clarence Senadhira 19no.

Special trophies to mark the 150th anniversary of Bishop Auckland CC were given to all participants.

There has been a big response for the talk-in at the club by New Zealand and Nottinghamshire all-rounder Chris Cairns, whose father Lance was the club professional at Bishop Auckland for three seasons in the 1980s.

The event will take place at the Kingsway clubhouse on Tuesday August 5.

Tickets are £5. A signed copy of his book "Chris Cairns", which includes memories of his time as a boy in Bishop Auckland, will be raffled during the evening.