Weather is a real downer for Stobs
NORTHUMBERLAND LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION
THE weather finally confirmed Stobswood’s relegation while Berwick guaranteed their safety.
Stobswood required a maximum-point victory and needed both Cramlington and Berwick to lose cheaply to survive.
However, Stobswood’s match was abandoned after 16 overs with visitors Blue Flames reaching 21-2 leaving the Benton side in third.
Berwick survived the drop after beating hosts Warkworth by nine wickets in a reduced-overs match.
The weather cut the match to 30 overs, Warkworth posting 138-7.
They had been struggling on 68-6 before Martin Clark hit six boundaries in his 42, while Elliott Keenan took 3-52.
Berwick wasted little time in securing the important victory, racing to 142-1 off only 18 overs.
Opener Mark Woodcock smashed an unbeaten 66, hitting nine fours and a six, while Keenan finished 68 not out, blasting seven fours and four sixes.
The borders club finished three points above Cramlington, who won at home against Ashington Rugby by seven wickets.
Cramlington, though, have to wait to find out which division they will be playing in next year.
The wet weather meant no play on either Saturday or Sunday in the play-off match between Swalwell and Castle Eden.
Should NTSL winners Swalwell beat their Durham League counterparts it would save Leadgate from relegation from Division A1 and Benwell and Walbottle from the A2, as well as Cramlington.
The play-off will now be played at the Riverside, Chester-le-Street, on Sunday (11.30).
Runners-up Backworth’s troubled end to the season continued as they slumped to a nine-wicket defeat at Whickham, who finish fifth.
Champions Blyth’s home match with Blagdon Park was called off.