The Readers' Durham County League: Kimblesworth wasted no time seeing off Crook Town to maintain their challenge for the championship.

But with Evenwood and Willington also winning, there is little change at the top. Tudhoe, the other side in contention, had a free day. It took Kimblesworth only 27.5 overs to despatch Crook back to the pavilion for just 52 runs.

Brian Clancy, Nigel Darling, David Showler and Stephen Meek shared the wickets before the visitors clinched 20 crucial points losing just one wicket.

Their innings lasted only 9.3 overs and the entire game was over in 37.2 overs - less than the number of overs generally bowled in a mid-week cup tie.

Evenwood are still out in front following their victory over Etherley when runs were more plentiful. Neil Teasdale struck eight boundaries in 44 and John Maughan recorded four sixes and seven fours making 64 out of a total of 200 compiled from 43.3 overs.

Etherley's early reply was uncertain, but Yassas Tillakaratne (31), Stephen Crane (36) and Lyall, with an unbeaten 43, put their side back in with a chance. But eventually the innings closed on 170 with almost five overs remaining.

Willington had 26 runs in hand of Mainsforth to keep alive their title aspirations. Gary Cummins had one six and eight fours in his top-scoring 76 and Gareth Wyatt added 69 with one six and eight boundaries to a total of 200-5 made from 45 overs.

Robert Chismon and David Fishburn then raised the prospect of a Mainsforth victory when they formed a productive partnership for the third wicket.

Both made 53 and hit six fours apiece but following their dismissals not another batsman made double figures as the innings slumped to 174 all out.

Cummins and Wyatt were also in form with the ball for Willington, sharing seven of the wickets.

Langley Park overtook the Brandon total of 148-9 with half their wickets intact.

Tyrone Beaton opened with 32 and Grant Falk added 64 to the second-wicket stand and although Robert Morgan took the wickets of both batsmen to end with 3-31, Langley were never seriously troubled. Michael Thorpe top scored with 42 when Brandon batted first.

Sedgefield were all out for just 77 in 31.3 overs at home to Ushaw Moor for whom Brendan Jackson claimed four wickets for only 19 runs in 12 overs and Michael Hayton took 3-25 from the five overs he delivered.

Ushaw Moor needed only 16.2 overs to make a winning score, but they lost four wickets in the process, two each to Martin Lower and Steve Broderick.

Indeed, the first four batsmen managed only 37 runs between them and when Sedgefield took the prize wicket of Sanjay Raul, who failed to score, they no doubt scented victory, but Gary Whitfield carried his bat for 30.

Atta-ur-Rehman sent Shildon back for just 66 at Esh Winning. His pace proved too much for the batsmen as he captured six wickets for only 30 runs to set up an eight0wicket win.