WASHINGTON ON THE MARK!
FIVE-WICKET WATSON DENIES BOLDON TOP SPOT, SPARKING FINE 59-RUN VICTORY AT SUNDERLAND ROAD
Boldon missed the chance to go top of the First Division, when they were beaten at home by Washington on Saturday.
In the only game to be played in the division, visitors Washington rocked Boldon with a 59-run success at Sunderland Road.
The Harraton side, though, found it a struggle throughout their innings, which closed on 135 all out after 36.2 overs,
After slipping to 5-3 and 12-4, opener Stephen Cuthbertson (57 off 86 balls, with six fours) and Thomas Colledge (41 off 71 balls, with seven boundaries) put on 90 for the fifth wicket, steering them to respectability.
Umar Waheed stole the show for Boldon, snaffling 5-45 in 8.2 overs, while Anthony Brown grabbed 3-11 in his 10-over spell. Paul Leonard and Ian Male both took 1-18.
Boldon looked on course in their reply when they put on 41 for the first wicket, with Nathan Hewitt making 28, with four fours and two sixes.
But only fellow opener Nick Sampson-Barnes (12) and Geoff Sargon (11) also reached double figures as Boldon collapsed to 44-4 and 76 all out.
Mark Watson had a day to savour, bagging 5-22 in 10 overs, while Graeme Race took 3-36. Josh Wilson and Malinga Surappulige also struck.
The sole Premier Division match to beat the weather was at Lilywhite Terrace, where Durham Academy enjoyed a ‘winning’ draw in their clash with hosts Hetton Lyons, which was reduced to 84 overs.
Lyons won the toss and inserted the Academy, who duly put on 95 for the first wicket before Ross Green well departed for 36 off 80 balls, with a four and a six.
Two more wickets fell in quick succession, but opener Scott Steel hung around to make a magnificent 106 off 117 balls, with nine fours and four sixes, before being last out as the visitors declared on 175-6 after 43 overs.
Liam Trevaskis added 14 and Sol Bell 12 not out.
Ben Whitehead was the pick of the bowlers, grabbing 3-42 in nine overs, while Josh Coughlin took 2-39 and Robert Talbot 1-38.
In reply, Lyons put on 43 for the first wicket and 42 for the second, but they had to steady the ship to see out the draw after losing four wickets for the addition of three runs.
They finished on 134-8 after 41 overs, with Dominic Thomson firing three fours in 37, backed by Matthew Whaley (28, with two fours), Jonny Malkin (25, with three fours and a six), Talbot (15, with a six) and Whitehead’s unbeaten 13 down the order.
Liam Trevaskis snatched 4-29 in 11 overs for the Academy, with Haidar Shafiq taking 2-36. Steel and Akashsingh Gopal also took wickets.
Lyons finished seventh last season and they are in the same position this time round, after nine games, winning twice and drawing six matches.
Eppleton were secondbottom last term, just avoiding the drop, are a place above their neighbours thanks to two wins and four draws, only 18 points behind champs Chester-le-Street.
Chester have not yet rediscovered the form which took them to an unbeaten title-winning campaign last summer, with only three wins so far. They are fifth, 51 points behind leaders South North.
Whitburn, eighth last season, are in third-bottom spot, but 48 points ahead of Felling, who look to be the clear favourites to go down.