Champions Great Ayton are back at the summit, as they saw off Barnard Castle at Leven Park.

They were asked to bat first on losing the toss and were in all kinds of trouble at 62-5, with only opener Thomas Leng taming the bowlers, with 42 runs to his name.

Giles Creedon struck twice for the visitors, as did Richard Watson and Tom Merryweather, but Alasdair Appleby was the pick of the bowling with 3-27 in Ayton’s 116 all out.

However, Ayton showed why they are champions, as pace bowler Joe Marsay (3-31), struck twice early on and then Michael Croft took a quick-fire 4-24, to reduce Barnard Castle to 64-7. Pitigala Jeewantha was also in on the action, taking three wickets. Barney were all out for 92, handing Ayton the 25 points, with 24 runs to spare.

Richmondshire dropped a place to second following defeat at Seaton Carew.

The home side were asked to bat first and made 174-9, with Usman Arshad scoring 74 from 111 balls, including seven fours. Craig Marshall took 3-47 and returned 3-57, on the bowling front.

The Dalesman lost two early wickets, but Mike Layfield (43) and Matthew McKiernan (79 not out from 116 balls with nine fours and a six) put on 88 for the third wicket. Paul Braithwaite delivered a match-winning bowling performance, as he claimed 5-37 from 12.3 overs and the visitors collapsed to 155 all out, to lose by 19 runs.

Thornaby pushed themselves into the top three and have now won four of their first six games, since promotion. This time they hammered Hartlepool by 132 runs, thanks to some excellent batting from Jeremy Boyle who struck 57 and Paul Allen who made a tremendous 96 not out in 231-6, with Doug Mulholland taking 3-49.

In reply, Pools struggled from the off, losing a succession of early wickets, and were 99 all out, with skipper James Lowe top scoring with 37. Lewis Harper was the star with the ball, returning 5-49, with two wickets each for Luke Metcalfe and Liam Crooks.

In a low scoring match at Windy Hill Lane, Marske emerged as victors over visiting Middlesbrough. The home side were in trouble at 38-4 and 57-5, but some resolute middle order batting helped them to 136 all out, with Harry Williams taking an excellent 6-49.

Boro also struggled early on against the new ball, with Lee Hodgson striking two early blows and Benjamin Van Rensburg taking 3-13. Simon Reeves hung around for 18 not out from 42 deliveries, but a devastating spell from Jonathan Pickard of 4-15, ensured victory for Marske.

Darlington won their first match of the season, defeating Marton by eight wickets, but they remain in the bottom two.

Chris Allinson for Marton made 79 not out from 129 balls, including seven fours and a six, but no-one could bat with him and the visitors made 148-9, with Rajeewa Weerasinghe and Liam Coates each claiming four wickets. Man of the match Coates hit 74 not out from 79 balls, alongside skipper Paul Freary (37), to see their side home to victory.

Bishop Auckland are yet to break their duck, with another defeat, this time at home to Stokesley by two wickets, in a tight game. Asked to bat first, they made 149 all out, thanks mainly to Nimesh Vimukthi who made 43, with Daniel Chillingworth the pick of the bowling (5-36) and Andrew Weighell returned 3-18.

Stokesley had Robert Foreman (32) and Daniel Chillingworth (33) to thank for their win, despite Chris Sawyer claiming 3-19 and Nimesh Vimukthi who took 4-20, pushing the visitors all the way for their hard-earned victory.