Batsmen hold firm to inspire Street to Banks Salver Cup win
Chester-le-Street celebrated silverware success with a seven-wicket victory over Burnmoor in the Banks Salver Cup final at Ropery Lane.
The visitors decided to bat first upon winning the toss. Opener Alan Worthy made 27 runs and then Paul Craig scored 58 not out, fendingoff some splendid tight bowling from the Cestrian attack, with both Liam Burgess and Andrew Bell claiming two wickets apiece.
Bu r n m o o r eve ntu a l l y reached a total of 149-8 from their 40 overs.
The Cestrians started slowly in response but opener Jacob McCann made 43 from 91 balls and George Harrison added 22 from 60 balls, as they put on 90 runs for the first wicket.
They then edged their way to victory on 150-3, with skipper John Coxon (21no) and Quentin Hughes (16no) putting on an unbroken stand of 38 runs, to claim victory.
Brandon and Mainsforth will contest the Frank Lees Cup final after both hit form in the weekend’s semi-finals.
Mainsforth booked their place in the showpiece with a seven-wicket win over South Shields at Dean Road.
Shields won the toss and duly batted first, with opener Luke Elliott scoring 41 and Sam Embleton then made an excellent 48 not out from 55 balls, to craft a total of 160-7. Ryan Nicholson and John Cavanagh claimed two wickets apiece.
The visitors lost a couple of early wickets, as Chris Stewart claimed 3-24, but Ryan Dawson made an excellent 64 not out from 88 balls and then Kevin Dixon hit 41 not out from 56 balls in an unbroken stand of 103, as they cruised to a winning total of 162-3.
In the other semi-final, Brandon also won by seven wickets, this time defeating Hylton at Brandon Lane.
Having lost the toss the visitors were put into bat and slumped to 22-3. The wickets continued to tumble until Lee Jackson made 26, to get them up to a total of 103 all out.
On the bowling front, Liam Wilson, Jamie Robinson, Gordon Muchall, and Jordan Grosert each claimed two wickets.
In reply, the home side also lost early wickets, as Anthony Brown struck twice.
However, Gordon Muchall held his nerve and scored 43 not out, alongside Dean Storey Jnr who made 38 not out, in an unbroken fourth wicket partnership worth 75, to produce a final winning total of 104-3.
In the Darlington Building Society NYSD ECB Premier League, Hartlepool finished in third place, after their trip to Stokesley.
The home side decided to bat first and struggled, losing regular wickets, until skipper Jonny Weighell made 43 to propel his side to 134 all out. James Lowe was the pick of the bowlers, claiming 5-33.
Pools were quick off the blocks, as openers James Lowe scored 72 not out from 63 balls and Harry Crawshaw scored 56 not out from 78 balls, to compile an unbroken stand of 137 runs and claim a 10-wicket triumph.
S eato n C a rew f i n i s h e d fourth in Division One despite losing at Darlington RA.
Batting first they scored 158 all out, thanks to Liam Gough (33) and Gareth Spence (47), as Ben I’Anson claimed 4-44 and Dale Marshall took 3-38.
RA, who finished third, then had skipper Callum Buckley to thank as he made 50 not out, alongside Henry Blackett (37) and Dale Marshall (32), in a winning total of 160-5.