Stockton had an excellent win at Chester-le-Street in the Dukes ECB North-East Regional Premier League, scoring 254-7, in reply to the home side’s 251-5 declared.

Opener Matthew Gill made 34, skipper Kevin Ward 69, Joe Hewison 32 and an excellent 42 not out from George Harding sealed the win, despite Adam Hickey and Andrew Smith claiming three wickets each.

Earlier, the champions had Adam Hickey to thank for his 75, Quintin Hughes 65 and George Harrison 38.

The Durham Cricket Academy travelled to leaders South North and recorded an excellent draw, after asking their hosts to bat first.

South North made 213-9 declared, with opener Simon Birtwisle scoring a steady 63 off 127 balls and John Graham made 69 from 84 balls, with nine fours and a six. Haidar Shafiq returned 3-49 and Christopher McBride 3-27, to hold off a potential higher score with their bowling.

In reply, the Academy put on 63 for the first wicket, with Scott Steel making 38 and Ross Greenwell contributed with an excellent 64 off 124 balls.

Simon Birtwisle then carved up the middle order, with 3-33, but the Academy held on for the draw.

Hetton Lyons first at home to Tynemouth and racked up a massive 240-8 declared, with Jonathan Malkin scoring 54, Chris Martin 50 and Jarvis Clay a quick-fire 60 off 72 balls, with David Hymers claiming 4-40 with the ball.

Robert Talbot tore into the Tynemouth batting with a brilliant 6-22, leaving the visitors in dire straits at 35-8.

The innings was wrapped up in the 26th over, with Tynemouth all out for 72. Niall Piper batting at number nine, top scored with 20.

Eppleton bowler David Wilkinson returned 6-27, in a brilliant spell of bowling to reduce visiting South Shields to 90 all out. In reply, the home side wobbled at 28-3, but Jandre Erasmus made 36, to see his side home by five wickets.

Sacriston remain top of Division One and have a 20-point lead after they allowed Boldon to rack up 261-8 declared, with Ian Pattison top scoring with 69 and there were half centuries also for Umar Waheed and Chris Ellison, with Nathan Hall returning a respectable 4-44.

However, the home side batted brilliantly, with opener Daniel Anderson scoring 107 not out off 147 balls, including 14 fours and a six.

He put on 176 for the first wicket, with fellow opener Nathan Hall scoring 94 off the same number of balls, with 11 fours and three sixes, then Reece Carr helped himself to 44 not out, to help Sacriston pull off a great win against one of their promotion rivals.

That allowed Brandon to move into second, when they easily disposed of bottom club Seaham Harbour by 148 runs. Opener Ryan Nicholson smashed 111, with 15 fours off 120 balls and Gordon Muchall added 73, to a huge total of 258-6 declared.

Moin Ashraf (4-53) and Muchall with the ball, each took two early wickets, to have the visitors at 21-4 and then Oscar Dewhurst and Sairaj Raghavan each took two wickets to wrap up the win.

In the Go North-East Northumberland and Tyneside Senior League, Shotley Bridge amassed 245 against Ashington and still got beat. Paul Greenwell 65, Phillip Brown 33, Mick Allen 44 and Lewis Hall 48 all contributed to the score, with Callum Storey returning 5-55 with the ball.

Ashington, however, batted brilliantly to win by six wickets, with opener Neil Wood making 67 and then Ben O’Brien (66no) and skipper Ben Harmison (67no) put on 118 together, for the fifth wicket to win the game.

Lanchester went down by 56 runs at Lintz who batted first and made 234-6, with opener Johnny Foster scoring 77 and Ryan McVittie made an excellent 83. Aaran Halliday, Kieron Taylor and Greg Halliday, each took two wickets.

Graham Brinton made 71 and Sam Crookes 31, putting on 79 together, but with three wickets apiece for Kieron Gohery, Jordan Clennell and Paul Lumley, soon put paid to any chance the visitors had of knocking off the required runs.

Leadgate were beaten by nine wickets at home to Consett, making just 121 runs. David Richardson made 56, with Dan Pyke taking 3-26. The visitors soon scored the required runs, with Andy Stokoe and Gary Hunter, each making unbeaten half centuries.

Readers Durham Cricket League leaders Easington won again, this time at home to Dawdon and batted first.

They made 168, with Jiniv Joshi making 45 and Jason Moses 40, as David Coates returned 4-24 and Steven Gale, 3-32, bowling well. Dawdon scored 119 all out, with John Leslie taking an excellent 5-34 to win the match.

Horden had a brilliant win at second-placed Seaham Park in a high scoring game, by just one wicket.

The home side racked up 244-6 with skipper Chris Allan scoring 86 and Mark Race 52 not out. Carl Watson then scored 43 in reply, with Scott Steel smashing 89 to win, despite Anthony Watson claiming 4-44.

Esh Winning travelled to Castle Eden and recorded a narrow four-run win.

Batting first they made just 124 all out, with Daniel Wilkinson top scoring with 29, with Alan Unsworth taking (3-34) and Keith Bailey 3-33, with the ball.

When the home side batted, they fell agonisingly short with only five needed for victory, when they were all out for 120.

Jamie Robinson ripped into the top order batsmen, taking a brilliant 5-17, with only opener Robbie McGlasham resisting with 40 runs to his name.