Local cricket spotlight
OPENER THOMSON’S BRILLIANT 71 HELPS HETTON GO WITHIN ONE RUN OF VICTORY AWAY TO SOUTH NORTH
Hetton Lyons fell agonisingly one run short of a memorable victory away to South Northumberland.
Lyons bowled well to restrict South North’s batsmen, with only Rob Peyton (46, with five fours and a six) and Calum MacLeod (27) topping 20, before the Tynesiders declared on 181-8 after 40 overs.
Josh Coughlin (2-51), Reece Wood (2-49), Robert Talbot (2-24) and Cameron Grimwood (2-37) all impressed with the ball for Lyons.
The visitors’ response was given a great send-off, with Dominic Thomson firing eight fours and a six in 71, off 123 balls. Chris Martin had four fours and a six in 32, while Talbot made 23 and Coughlin 17 as Lyons clambered to within sight of victory, but their 48 overs ended with the sides level, Lyons making 181-7.
South North’s Stephen Humble grabbed 3-40.
Durham Academy secured a ‘winning’ draw against Eppleton at the Emirates Riverside in a rainreduced clash.
Scott Steel blasted eight fours and a six in an 89-ball 81 to help the Academy youngsters make 193-3 off 39 overs, supported by Chris McBride, who had seven fours in a 69-ball 63.
Ross Greenwell made 28 and Liam Trevaskis 13 not out, while Craig Scurr took 2-78 and Dean Musther forced a run-out of Steel.
Eppleton put on 50 for the first wicket, but, restricted to 34 overs, they were always up against it in the hope of a victory and they batted sensibly to see out the draw on 120-4.
Openers Alex Simpson (26, with three fours) and Marcus Brown (23, with two boundaries) were supported by Luke Henderson’s three fours in 29, pff 40 balls, and Scurr’s unbeaten 17, with a four and a six.
Haidar Shafiq grabbed 2-21, with a wicket apiece for Matthew Potts and Akashsingh Gopal.
Whitburn were well beaten at Stockton, succumbing by seven wickets as the hosts secured only their second win.
The Villagers, put into bat, managed to make 1725 in their allotted 44 overs, with runs throughout from Daniel Shurben (21), James Thompson (37, with seven fours), Ross Carty (38, with six fours), Paul Shields (17) and Mark Elliot, who had five boundaries in an unbeaten 37. Matthew Gill took 2-48 for the Teessiders.
Whitburn reduced Stockton to 14-2 early in their reply, but they managed just one more wicket as the Grangefield outfit cruised home with 174-3 in the 33rd over, with five to spare in their reduced allocation because of rain.
Kevin Ward hit 11 fours and two sixes in an unbeaten 92, putting on 68 with Gill (39, with six fours) and 92 with Joe Hewison (30, with five fours).
Craig Smith, Ian Elliot and Kieran Waterson took the wickets to fall.
South Shields scraped home by two wickets at home to Felling, who were bowled out 125 after being put into bat.
Last-man Simon Wood top-scored with seven fours and a six in a 47-ball 46 for Felling, starring in a 71-run partnership with Craig Stephenson (17).
Only Gary Scott (20) and Michael Malthouse (21) also reached double figures.
Matthew Muchall was again the pick of Shields’ bowlers, snaffling 4-37, backed by Salman Ahmed (3-23).
Shields found life tough in their reply, slipping to 51-4, but eventually getting over the line in the 48th over, helped by 24 extras. Chris Rainbow hit 22, with Michael Dunn adding 16 and Chris Dorothy 14 before Sam Embleton (16no) and Muchall (12no) clinched victory.
Mark Turner bagged 3-22 for Felling, backed by two wickets apiece from Freddie Simon and Stephenson.
Champions Chester-leStreet’s game at Benwell Hill was abandoned, after the Denton Bank side reached 137-9 in 42.3 overs.
Max Williamson (29), James Schofield (25) and Haseeb Adam (26) top-scored as Liam Simpson snatched 3-37, backed by Stephen Cantrell (2-41) and Quentin Hughes (2-22).
Newcastle saw off hosts Tynemouth by seven wickets in double quick time, with only 36 overs of action.
Tynemouth never got to grips with the visitors’ bowlers, with a top score of five as they were skittled for 31 in 27.5 overs.
Sean Tindale bagged 4-11 in nine overs, supported by Callum Harding (3-11) and Oliver Sale (2-6)
Newcastle lost three wickets before clinching victory after 7.5 overs, Joshua Phillips unbeaten on 14.