Champions’ campaign is off to a flyer

NORTHUMBERLAND AND TYNESIDE LEAGUE

THE first round of group matches kicked off the shortened season, the ten groups of eight being a mix of teams from various divisions.

Sides will play each other once in reduced 40-over matches, the top teams reaching the play-offs in September.

In group one, last season’s NTCL champions Alnmouth and Lesbury comfortably beat Third Division side Warkworth by eight wickets.

Matisse Richards took 5-11 as the hosts made only 91. Opener Paul Straker hit 48 as Alnmouth reached 93-2 after 27 overs.

The other Division One side Morpeth also made a winning start, beating Alnwick by 25 runs.

The visitors batted first and posted 175-7 from their 40 overs, opener Paul Johnston smashing 11 fours and a six in his 63.

Johnston then finished with 4-22 as Alnwick finished short on 150-7, Robbie Green with 51.

Backworth won the all-Division Two clash at Bedlington by 21 runs, totalling 156-5 before bowling out Bedlington for 135.

Bates Cottages won at home against Tillside in the other all-Division Two clash.

Bates quickly bowled out Tillside for only 93, Ross Symington claiming 6-17.

Bates lost three early wickets before Symington (31 not out) and Abubakar Maqsood (32 not out) steered them to 96-3 after 27 overs.

Swalwell came out on top against fellow Division One outfit Seaton Burn by 51 runs in group two.

Mark Gray top-scored with 57 before Swalwell were dismissed for 177 with two overs remaining.

Seaton Burn were always behind the run rate and after 39 overs were dmismissed for 123.

Nick Phillips (3-20) and Andrew Smith (3-23) did the damage.

Newcastle City visitors saw off Ponteland by eight wickets.

Pont batted first and posted 165-9, Palav Kumar restricting them with 5-38.

Kumar then hit 56, as did Asif Ramzan, as the Divison One side comfortably reached 167-2 with five overs to spare.

Second Division Cowgate shocked Division One team Percy Main by 53 runs – despite at one stage in the match struggling badly at 23-6!