The race for the Durham Cricket League championship took what seemed like a decisive turn last week when leaders Esh Winning hammered out a maximum points victory against Hylton while Dawdon were losing at home game to Crook.

The net effect of those two results was that Esh increased their lead at the top of the table to a massive 41 points, and only a dramatic loss of form on their part would see them relinquish the advantage in the remaining six games of the summer.

Given that they are unbeaten to date, and play Boldon CA today whilst Dawdon have to go to Mainsforth, it would seem that that is more or less over.

Dawdon have to go for broke when they travel to take on the only other unbeaten side in the division, as only wins will now keep their dreams of silverware alive. But they travel short-handed as Nathan Newton, Liam Cowell and Craig Price are missing, and there is also a doubt over Ryan Consitt’s availability.

One slight crumb of comfort is that their hosts have to reckon without one of their leading wicket takers, Gary Cummings, for this one, and despite their unbeaten tag they have not been entirely convincing having won just six of their 15 matches.

At the opposite end of the table the battle to avoid being the other side to join Boldon CA in slipping through the relegation trapdoor intensifies as the two primary candidates, Hylton and Horden, lock horns.

Horden have only lost twice so their position is surprising, but with their final five opponents reading Durham, Dawdon, Philadelphia, Castle Eden and Esh Winning, plus the abandoned match against Mainsforth (now to be played on Bank Holiday Monday), they cannot afford any complacency. The team news for them is positive, with Shaun Bradbury’s return putting them at full strength for the big showdown.

It’s muck or nettles for Shotley Bridge and Ashington in the NTSL.

They meet at the Spa Grounds with the loser likely to have to shelve their title ambitions for another season.

Bridge have Graham Angus back, but Gary Johnson is sidelined by a hamstring injury, while the Colliers stick with the same line-up who lost to new leaders Swalwell. The table-toppers have Andy and Stephen Smith returning for their home game against Alnmouth, although Chris Hewison and Lloyd Anderson remain in Mexico.