WITH Seaton Carew taking another vital step in their great escape from relegation, and Richmondshire edging ever closer to landing the championship silverware, matches were awash with excitement and anxiety at both ends of the league table.

Seaton moved out of the drop zone for the first time all season when they defeated fellow strugglers Redcar in a game which swung tantalisingly in each other’s favour before landing the 20 points on the hosts’ doorstep after a nail biting finish. Redcar, along with Marton who were also beaten in a tense last wicket finale, now occupy the two bottom places with Seaton enjoying the comfort of a 13 point safety net.

Leaders Richmond need just 33 more points from their final two games to land their third title in four years after defeating Normanby Hall. The Dalesmen triumphed by six wickets after bowling out the Teessiders for 153 thanks to Craig Marshall (4-60) and Toby Bulcock (3-31), who shared 33 overs. Steve Mather (49 not out) rallied Richmond after they lost two wickets for 32 runs and his stand worth 72 with Sam Wood (29) saw them romp home.

Victories for second-placed Great Ayton, along with Barnard Castle and Stokesley, who moved back three places to fourth, kept the championship chase open, but only by a whisker. Ayton trimmed five points from Richmond’s pre-match 23 point lead after taking the additional bonus points from their win over Norton. Aussie Barry Bester hit 61 from 46 balls with eight fours and two sixes for Ayton to reach 170 after losing early wickets cheaply with the Symingtons, Marc (4-39) and Craig (3-52), sharing the limelight with Peter Armstrong (2-30).

Norton never fully recovered from the loss of their first five wickets for just 31 runs despite a stubborn 103-ball innings by all-rounder Marc in which he stayed unbeaten with 28 for 103 balls out of his side’s all out score of 93 from 41.5 overs. Ayton’s Lewis Harper (3-24), Steve Pennock (3-30), Mike Croft (2-16) and Joe Marsay (2-20) produced the combination to extend their unbeaten run to an amazing eleven games with their eighth victory.

Barney gained their fourth win in the same ten week period with Simon Tennant (5-10) sparking a Hartlepool collapse which saw them lose seven wickets for 42 runs following a brisk start. James Quinn (40) laid the foundation for a five wicket triumph in which Richard Borrowdale hit all but one of his 23 runs, in an unbeaten innings, in boundaries.

Middlesbrough’s Steve Reeves added to his season’s haul with another six wickets, but it couldn’t stop his side losing to Stokesley, whose win by an impressive 80 runs brought an end to a three week slump and their worst set of results over the season.

Andrew Weighell (44) and Simon Caukwell (38) resisted Reeves (6-39 from 16.2 overs) as they helped post 163 while Adil Ditta (31) saw his colleagues crumble against James Beaumont (3-30), Shrikant Wagh (3-42) and Jack Craig (2-8).

Darlington enjoyed one of their best victories – by eight wickets - at Guisborough where James Dobson and Liam Coates each scored half centuries. The Priory club lost their first five wickets for just 34 runs as Doug Mulholland (4-41) caused havoc in his 17 overs, but their recovery to 141 was still not enough.

Marske’s win over Marton, in a game they looked more likely to lose, was an absolute thriller. Lee Hodgson hit 78 from 106 balls for the Seasiders against his former club, but when he was out they were still 60 runs short of the 213 needed and had lost six wickets.

But first Gary Lynch (33 from 42 balls) and then the final pairing of Brian Devine (22 not out) and Charlie Helm (18 not out) produced a remarkable ending. The Devine-Helm pairing produced 43 runs from the final ten overs to get Marske the unlikely victory with just two balls to spare. Marton, who had so badly needed the 25 points which they could have won, were devastated by the defeat which has taken them closer to relegation.

There was a similarly dramatic finish at Seaton Carew where three of the last four wickets fell for just six runs before the last three batters put on 18 to turn the tables.

The promotion chase in Division One is set for a captivating finish as Whitby and Billingham Synthonia, separated by just five points, go head to head next weekend.