In the Dukes ECB North East Premier League, Durham Cricket Academy showed some dogged spirit to grind out an unlikely draw.

Eppleton batted first and made 187-9, as opener Luke Henderson scored 54 and Gary Burlinson made 30. Matthew Oswell took 3-34, while Faizan Hussain and Adam Ahmed claimed two wickets each.

The Academy slumped to 11-4, as Jack McBeth (2-17) and Josh Coughlin (3-13) tore into the top order. However, Harry Adair dug in for 58 from 84 balls, which included four fours and a six to steer his side to a draw, with the last pair Faizan Hussain and William Angus facing 92 balls between them.

Chester-le-Street were at home to bottom club Sacriston and opener Kyle Davis made 100 not out in a total of 240-7 declared. His century came off 161 balls, which included just seven fours, and then Liam Simpson cracked 71 from 78 balls to give them their healthy total. James Thompson claimed 3-31 with the ball.

Sacriston then started promisingly with Jonny Bushnell scoring 33, but Stephen Cantwell took 3-37 and there were two wickets each for Jack Campbell and Liam Burgess to guide the Cestrians home to victory, as they made 178 all out.

Whitburn entertained Hetton Lyons and the visitors scored 212-9, with Jarvis Clay smashing 74 from 113 balls, while Kieran Waterson claimed 4-41.

Whitburn were skittled out for just 104, with Cameron Grimwood claiming an excellent 5-25.

Stockton journeyed to Benwell Hill and the visitors racked up 201-9, as Tom Hewison scored 38, and Matthew Gill 50. Max Williamson took 3-70, with two wickets apiece for Peter Jones, Kyle Coetzer and Anthony Hunter.

The Hill then made the runs, totalling 202-4, thanks to 86 not out from Mohsin Mukhtar, to win by six wickets.

In Northumberland and Tyneside Cricket League, Shotley Bridge have now not won in four, after leading the table for all the season and have now dropped to third. They lost by eight wickets at Tynedale after scoring just 169 all out. Greg Patterson was top scorer with 46, as Paul Newton took 3-18. Tom Cant with 58 and Daniel Parker with 46, guided their team home.

Lanchester were at Alnmouth & Lesbury and they played out a low-scoring tie.

The visitors could only muster 117 all out, Sam Crooks top scoring with 24, while David Johnson claimed 3-15. Alnmouth were 2-2 in reply, and managed to claw themselves up to 117-9, to tie the match. Dushan Hemantha scored 38 and Lukas Robinson 26 not out.

In Division Two, Leadgate in third, welcomed Morpeth and won by a single run. They made 140 all out, thanks to the tail end making a few runs, as James Craigs and Cam Mackay ripped out the top order, with four wickets apiece.

However, Lee Innes and David Richardson did the same and took four wickets each and the home side sneaked the win by the narrowest of margins, despite a 34-run last wicket partnership.

Readers Durham Cricket League leaders Easington travelled to Whiteleas and lost their first game of the season, despite racking up 201-8 declared.

Mark Cowell with 38 and Jonathan Davis with 60 made the runs, while Ryan Hale returned 3-54 with the ball. Chris Nichol then made 42, as Omar Shahid tried his best with 4-20 and Dane Wilson backed him with 3-32, but Leas sneaked over the line, totalling 202-9.

Crook are still second as they also lost, at home to Durham City in a low scoring game.

City made 137 all out, thanks to Tom Balkwill who made 41 and Callum Steel 32, while Daniel Doram took 3-25. However, Alex Rose with 4-24 and Rob Macdonald’s excellent 5-24, saw them home as as Crook could only muster 106 all out.

Evenwood remain second in Division Two, despite going down at home to leaders Ushaw Moor, by four wickets. The home side made 197-9, thanks to Thomas Teesdale snr who made 54. Shahid Khan and Mohammed Shoaib each took three wickets early on, but Stephen Hancock with 50 not out and Peter Maddison 83 not out, showed their class to ease home on 199-6.