CESTRIANS IN SEVENTH HEAVEN
KYLE DAVIS AND ANDREW SMITH EASE CHESTER-LE-STREET TO A SEVEN-WICKET VICTORY OVER STOCKTON
Dukes ECB NEPL Premier Division Chester-le-Street moved into third place with a resounding seven-wicket victory at Stockton.
They inserted the home side, who made just 102 all out, thanks mainly to John Harrison claiming 3-14, with Christopher Hooker carrying his bat, for 43 not out.
Kyle Davis with 43 and Andrew Smith with 51 not out, ensured an easy victory for the Cestrians.
Eppleton lost at bottom club South Shields, following an impressive 147 not out from Salman Ahmed off 146 balls, including 10 fours and ten sixes, in a massive total of 254-4.
Eppleton lost early wickets, which didn’t help, but they dug in and Alexander Simpson made 34, alongside Tyler Easton with 85 and skipper Craig Scurr with 53.
However, excellent bowling from Salman Ahmed 4-64 and Sam Taylor-Gell 3-41, ensured they won the game with the visitors making 232 all out, to ensure the relegation scrap, will go to the last day of the season, next Saturday.
Hetton Lyons played out a draw at Tynemouth, with the home side making 229-4.
Ben Debnam with 39 and Matty Brown with 89, were the main run scorers.
The Lyons lost early wickets and had to thank Robert Talbot, for his 39 not out, alongside Ben Whitehead 20 not out, to bat for the draw.
South North were crowned champions after beating the Durham Cricket Academy by a mammoth 151 runs.
They batted first and racked up 270-8 off 54 overs.
Calum MacLeod led the way with an excellent century (107), which included 16 fours and Rob Peyton with 80, which included 10 fours, with Haidar Shafiq claiming 3-65 with the ball.
The Academy never got going and Jonathan Wightman took 3-50 and Lee Crozier with 3-24, doing the early damage.
Christopher McBride made 43 to put up some resistance, but they were eventually all out for 119.
Newcastle will finish as runners-up and have had another good season.
However, they have lost two more games than the champions and that’s the difference between the sides this season.
They beat struggling Whitburn, who are still not safe from relegation.
The home side took first knock and scored just 150 all out, thanks to some excellent bowling from Callum Harding, Oliver McGee and Alasdair Appleby, who each took three wickets, with Andrew Turns top scoring with 38 runs.
In reply, Newcastle scored the required runs, losing four wickets in the process.
Appleby with the bat made 71 and Thomas Dias contributed 30, to his name.
Felling won at Benwell Hill and have a 13 point advantage over bottom club South Shields, in their fight for survival.
They made 211 all out, mainly thanks to Mark Tuner’s 47 and Graham Wright’s contribution of 40, with Haseeb Azam the pick of the bowlers taking 4-44.
The Hill could only score 171 all out, with opener Phillip Nicholson making 38 and skipper Kyle Coetzer 34.
Paul Leonard was the bowling hero, taking 4-24 and Anthony Trotter claimed 3-46, to record a crucial win for the visitors.