Ushaw Moor, who have made their best start in years, aim to keep the pressure on the leading pack by defeating neighbours Esh Winning this afternoon.

Professional Sanjay Raul tops the league batting averages at more than 100 and is also third in the bowling averages.

Today, Brendan Jackson and David Armstrong cannot play and the opportunity is taken to include juniors Scott Nattrass and Craig Usher.

Esh Winning show just one change to their side with John Bate coming in for the unavailable Peter Maddison.

Kimblesworth are still without honeymooner Stephen Meek for their home game with Langley Park. David Sanger is also away but Gavin Hunter will play his first game of the season after returning to the club.

The visitors retain the same side which was on duty against Shildon on Monday.

Professional Robert Chismon could miss Mainsforth's game at Sedgefield. He has damaged knee ligaments and has been ordered to rest.

Nigel Milner returns from holiday and is a replacement for the unavailable Arthur Willoughby. Other changes see John Sweeney and Mark Stephenson taking over from Gavin Peat and Andy Howells, who revert to the seconds. In contrast, Sedgefield make no alteration to their line-up.

Willington are confident captain Karl Brown will turn out in the home game with championship contenders Evenwood. He dislocated his shoulder in the last match at Tudhoe but has quickly recovered.

Second-team captain Richard Mallander, a left-arm spinner, also comes into contention and definitely returning are Steve Donnelly and Steve Jones. Evenwood are unchanged.

The chances of Brandon defeating Tudhoe are enhanced with the news that captain Steve Dunsford is available following injury. David Fort is pencilled in but Tony Keogan is still absent.

Tudhoe bring in Stuart Hood for Anthony Timmis.

Crook Town visit Etherley with Andrew Coe free of work commitments while the home side line up the former Bishop Auckland player Colin Barker as they seek to build on Monday's splendid victory over Evenwood.

* Norton are too near the bottom of the Foster's ECB North East Regional Premier League table for comfort after losing twice last weekend but they will have a much stronger side on duty at Blaydon this morning and will take heart from the fact that their opponents crashed to only 57 all out last Monday.

Marc Symington was unavailable last weekend playing for Durham against Middlesex at Lord's and another county player, James Brinkley, was also unavailable.

Both are expected to play today and a further boost to captain Kenny Gresham is the availability of Andrew Tait and Chris Thomas.

Blaydon are not sure what has gone wrong but resist the temptation to make major changes and their only alteration is the return of Kevin Drake at the expense of Craig Wallis.

Stockton face an extremely difficult task at home to Benwell Hill, who have run into form. Stockton line-up Durham's Chris Mann and also included are Danny Lewis and Grant Worrall. Michael Wood, however, is unavailable and Kevin Ward drops into the seconds.

Benwell Hill skipper Phil Nicholson, who this week played for Northumberland against Cumbria in Carlisle, reports that he will have a full-strength side on duty. Because neither Durham's first or second teams are playing, Michael Gough is another county player available and he comes in for Charles Walder.

Chester-le-Street need to recover from two defeats suffered last weekend and appear to have the ideal opportunity to bounce back at the expense of bottom-of-the-table Tynemouth.

The Cestrians will choose from a squad of 13 players and Tynemouth will be hoping that their new Indian professional Amol Mazumdar builds on the encouraging form he showed in his last outing.

Newly-installed leaders South Northumberland are forced into changes for the visit to Gateshead Fell. Middle-order batsman Howard Sidney-Willmott is injured and left-arm spinner Richard Brooke is also out of the picture but Tom Seymour should recover from injury to take his place and Imran Shah definitely resumes.

Fell, who tasted defeat for the first time last weekend, will be out to end the only unbeaten record and close the gap on South North. The Devenport brothers John and Stephen are away so Brian Arkle and Mark Smith, who scored a century for the seconds a few weeks ago, win promotion.

Philadelphia will need to claim the wicket of Newcastle's Scott Kay early if they are to make it three consecutive wins. Bowling has been their strength with Australian Gavin Swan and Ross McLaren, in particular, keeping it tight and claiming wickets.

With Shaun Smith and Jon Grant ruled out, Phili show just one alteration with Nathan Gray preferred to Darren McKitterick. Newcastle retain the side which performed well last weekend.