CRAIG’S THE OPENINGDAY HERO FOR RYHOPE
RYHOPE EDGE HOME AT LANGLEY PARK, WHILE SILKSWORTH CLAIM DRAMATIC VICTORY
Readers Durham Cricket League
Ryhope made a winning start to the Second Division season, edging home by two wickets at Langley Park.
Ryhope won the toss and fielded, with Langley battling to 201 all out in 39.5 overs.
Simon Huscroft had 11 fours and two sixes in a brilliant 66, supported by Jonna Lane (36, with two fours and four sixes), Craig Robertson (19) and Robin Hills (14).
David Craig’s 12 overs produced 4-68 to lead Ryhope, helped by Graham Pickering (2-20), Liam Stores (2-34) and Jonny Errington (1-41).
In reply, Ryhope put on 136 for the first three wickets, as Craig’s splendid 74, with seven fours and two sixes, backed by Dan Blackman (16) and Mathew Kirtley (39, with three fours and a six).
Handy runs down the order from Errington (14), Johnny Hayes (13), Liam Kirk (12) and Scott Lawrence (11) steered Ryhope home in the 54th over.
Silksworth won an entertaining match at home to Murton, by just one wicket.
Murton made 177-9 batting first, Alan Welburn top-scoring with 59 and John Leslie making 34, with four wickets apiece for Robbie Jones and Mark Forster.
The home side responded to edge home on 180-9, inspired by a tremendous knock of 85 from Gary McAvoy, backed by Jones (30) and skipper Andy Barrass (26).
Hylton were pipped by two wickets by visitors Littletown, newly-relegated from the top flight.
Hylton were dismissed for 159 in 35.4 overs after being put in to bat.
Jon Stokoe led the way with 40, with four boundaries, at No 9, backed by 26 apiece from Adam Bewick and Lee Jackson, while debutant Matty Billyard made 19 as opener, Ben Lobban contributed 16 and Kevin Mustard added 12.
Patrick Stephenson took 4-49 on his Littletown debut, with father Calvin grabbing 3-41. Weeks took 2-42 and Bryan Conlon 1-24.
Openers Philip Bennett (23, with three fours) and Matt Dench (47, with seven fours and a six) gave Littletown the springboard for a hardearned victory, which came, with eight wickets down, after 44 overs.
Calvin Stephenson made a crucial 46 not out, with five fours and a six, with Conlon adding 19 at No 9.
West Indian Marlon Black snatched 4-43 for Hylton, backed by Steven-Lee Merrington (2-17) and Adam Bewick (1-24).
Dawdon were just three runs short of victory at home to Ushaw Moor.
Chasing 143, they were all out for 140 in a dramatic finale, with Michael Ewart making 26 not out and David Coates 25. Stephen Hancock and Dean Storey took four wickets each to win a close-fought match.
Earlier, Aaron Proud had made 31 for Ushaw Moor and Stephen Hancock 21, as they struggled against the bowling of Michael Ewart, who returned a magnificent opening-day haul of 6-34.
Peterlee were walloped by 102 runs at Evenwood.
The hosts were put in to bat and piled up 172-9 declared ion their 45 overs.
Owen Peddelty had 11 fours in a 109-ball 73, backed by Khan (23) and Mohammed Shoaib (21).
Peterlee’s top bowler was Andrew Laidler, with 4-17 in 12 excellent overs, while Zachary McCaskie took 2-35 and James Garraghan, Bhatt and Joe Spalding also struck.
Peterlee fell for 72 in reply, the end coming in the 32nd over.
Spalding top-scored with 16, supported by Laidler (15), McCaskie (12) and Thomas Nicholson (10). Khan bagged 5-31 to inspire Evenwood, with Shoaib adding 2-19.
Boldon CA beat newcomers Hunwick by 52 runs.
They batted first and made 129 all out, with Kevin Bellerby scoring 75 and Malcolm McWilliam returning a brilliant 6-23. In reply, Hunwick scored just 77, with Rajan Kumarasamy taking an excellent haul of 6-20.
Easington outgunned hosts Philadelphia by five wickets on the first day of the Division One season.
The Bunker Hill men, missing overseas signing Rameez Shahzad, succumbed to 78 all out in 34.5 overs after being put into bat by Easington.
Only Ryan Dowens, who fired five boundaries in 29, and Jack McBeth (10) managed double figures for Phili as Sri Lanka left-arm slow bowler Duvindu Tilakaratne enjoyed a debut to savour.
Tilakaratne plundered 6-10 in a brilliant 10-over stint to rattle Phili, while Gary Ward took 2-15 and Omar Shahid 1-20.
Easington lost five wickets on the way to clinching a comfortable victory inside 16 overs, led by opener Ryan Higgins, who had six fours in 25, and Robbie Atherton, who had six boundaries in 28.
Shahid added 16, with three fours, with Reece Wood (3-20) and Will Orchin (2-8) the pick of the home bowlers.
Horden were nine wickets down, with 150 on the board, chasing 153 to win at home to Mainsforth and were agonisingly close to winning.
Mainsforth had four batsmen in the 20s – Aidan Cummings, John Cavanagh, Danny Hooper and Nathan Wall – but they could not go on further. Lewis Broom, JP Meadeeachtookthreewickets and Scott Birks returned 2-29.
In Horden’s reply, Adam Dixon made 36, Scott Birks 47 and debutant JP Meade 32, setting them on their way, but John Cavanagh came on and took 4-37, alongside Ryan Dawson 3-36, to deny the Colliers victory.
Esh Winning crushed Durham City by 125 runs, bowling the Green Lane men out for just 36.
Bill Quay won by 72 runs at Tudhoe.
Former Hylton skipper Alan Mustard powered seven fours and three sixes in an 80-ball knock of 69 as Quay made 148 all out. Ian Grainger was outstanding with the ball for Tudhoe, snaffling 7-28.
Tudhoe struggled with the bat as Berwick Hall enjoyed a fine debut for Quay, grabbing 4-20 in eight overs as the hosts were skittled for 76 in the 27th over.
Whiteleas and Harton claimed a hard-fought draw at Crook, hanging on with 136-9 .