Moor are the merrier as they close gap on the leaders

BURNMOOR closed the gap between themselves and Premier Division leaders South Northumberland to 16 points with a 23-run home win over Eppleton.

Moor amassed 245-8 in their 50 overs, Ross Greenwell hitting 34 and Ryan Pringle 35.

Their total was boosted by an eighth-wicket partnership of 108 between Josh Coughlin (55) and Craig Stephenson (45 not out).

Andrew Ebdale and Colin Mann took two wickets apiece.

Eppleton were all out for 222 in reply, contributions from Colin Mann (31), Sam Dinning (43) and Connor Whitelock (36) not enough to catch the title chasers.

Graeme Bridge helped hold Eppleton off with 3-39.

South North dropped valuable points when they were beaten by 29 runs at Benwell Hill.

The home side batted first, Mohsin Mukhtar and Finn Mccreath sharing a brilliant third-wicket partnership of 142.

Mukhtar (69) was bowled by Oliver Mcgee, who took 3-45.

Mccreath was dismissed shortly after wards, amassing 79 runs in his team’s 244-8.

In reply, the champions struggled to post a total, only Rob Peyton (47) and Sean Tindale (37) contributing anything of value.

Callum Harding, Max Williamson and Joseph Torre took two wickets each.

It was a battle between third and fourth as Hetton Lyons made the journey to Felling.

The home team batted first and made 229-5 in their 50 overs.

Tyler Easton reached 102 not out from 113 balls, including 11 fours and two sixes.

However, the Lyons secured a three-wicket victory, Robert Talbot top-scoring with 66 not out in their final score of 231-7.

Chris Ralston and Talbot forged a sixth-wicket partnership of 106 while Paul Leonard led the bowlers with figures of 4-45.

Sunderland travelled to fellow strugglers Burnopfield and were all out for 177 batting first - Paul Brown with 3-23.

In reply, Burnopfield were dismissed for 167, their defeat allowing the Wearsiders to move to within eight points of them.

Whitburn put themselves up to bat first when they travelled to Newcastle. Vishal Tripathi and Lee Henderson gave them a great start with a first-wicket partnership of 165.

Henderson finished on 59 while Tripathi reached 101 from 112 balls (including nine fours and two sixes), when he was taken out by the impressive Joe Boaden (4-32).

Whitburn ended on 242-8 but Newcastle then limped to 97 all out, Matthew Muchall (4-37) and Adam May (4-13) doing the damage.