Foster's ECB North East Regional Premier League: Bottom-club Norton found Chris Hewison and Martin Speight in blistering form as they blasted South Northumberland to 299 for three.

Reon King then took over with the ball to help send Norton to a 158-run defeat and leave them stranded at the basement - 24 points adrift of Gateshead Fell.

The match started encouragingly for the visitors when the Symington brothers, Marc and Craig, combined to send openers Adam Heather and James Miller quickly back to the pavilion. But that put Hewison and Speight together in a third-wicket partnership, which was to put South North in the ascendancy. Hewison scored 106 while Speight was even more devastating, hitting 117.

It was a hard day in the field for the Norton bowlers and the only one to claim success was Marc Symington, who ended with 3-85.

Craig Symington temporarily halted South North's march to victory, finding the boundary eight times making 61 but the innings eventually closed on 141 after only 52.4 overs. West Indian King took five of the wickets for 40 runs in 16.5 overs.

Sunderland maintained their position at the top following victory over Benwell Hill. All appeared lost until Franklin Rose joined Michael Roseberry for the sixth wicket. But the pair took Sunderland to within sight of victory before Roseberry became Shahid Nazir's sixth victim after contributing 41.

Rose finished unbeaten on 64, steering Sunderland to a four-wicket win in 53.3 overs.

Stockton had Durham Academy tottering on the brink of defeat with their last pair at the Maiden Castle wicket. Their saviour was Ben Harmison, who went in at number four and was still there at the end undefeated with 31.

Stuart Walker opened the innings contributing 87 and for Stockton, Matthew Crease took 4-62. Chris Hooker (34) and Pierre Jason, with a half century, eased Stockton past the 200 mark as Mark Turner captured 4-18.

The gloom which had descended over Bunker Hill was lifted when Philadelphia produced their best performance of the season to defeat Chester-le-Street.

The visitors' total of 211 looked sufficient to at least stave off defeat, but after conceding two early wickets Phili recovered and runs from a third-wicket partnership between Fred Napier (41) and Jim Allenby retrieved the situation.

Darren McKitterick (60) was then joined by captain Andrew Roseberry, who added an undefeated 32.

Gavin Reed and James Davidson made early inroads into the Cestrians' innings but a polished performance from Durham County's Ashley Thorpe swung the initiative towards the visitors. He was only six runs short of a century when he was caught by Davidson.

Tynemouth won for the first time, defeating Gateshead Fell, who are now second from the bottom.

Marcus North (51) and Stewart Hutton, with 68, put together a productive partnership for the third wicket, leading the Fell to 193-9.

Iqbal Siddiqui, Barry Stewart and Russell Perry all took three wickets in the Seasiders' attack before Wayne Falla (47) and man-of-the-match Siddiqui, with an unbeaten 60, led Tynemouth to a welcome win.

Blaydon were close to defeat at Newcastle where Neil McGarrell failed to repeat the batting form which had earned Blaydon victory against the Tynesiders just a few days earlier. He bowled economically returning 4-36. But Newcastle still managed 198-9, which included 41 by debutant Joel Hughes.

Paul Underwood (35) and Ian Somerville (45) gave the Blaydon reply a good foundation but when James Bailey (7-52) was introduced into the attack, the innings collapsed to 144-9 at stumps.