Seaham Park continue their promotion and title ambitions
Seaham Park are back on top of the Readers Durham & North East Cricket League.
After making a solid start at home to Brandon, Seaham Park totalled 222-9 in their innings.
Martin Stephenson made 52 and Shoaib Akhtar 39, while Jordan Grosert and Liam Wilson shared six wickets.
In reply, opener Matthew Brown scored 52, but John Sample took out the middle order claiming 3-31, and ended up bowling the visitors out for 177, to win the game by 45 runs and maintain their promotion and title ambitions.
South Shields dropped to second after they made a stuttering start in the big game at home to third placed Esh Winning, and were reduced to 32-4, thanks to Jonathan Hodgson taking (4-31) and Ihsan Ul-Haq then claimed 3-11 and they were all out for just 93 runs.
Esh opener David Lawlor then made a breezy 30, to see his side home on 94-3 to claim a seven wicket win at the top, to enhance their promotion push.
Dawdon Welfare made a good start at home to Bill Quay, asKitAllenbludgeoned57from 40 balls. They ended up on 205 all out, thanks to Jamie Cahill who scored 71 not out, with Liam Brophy, Chris Little and Neil Cuskeran taking three wickets apiece.
Quay then collapsed to 435 and eventually 89 all out, as Usama Yaqoob claimed an impressive 5-21 to win the match for his team, by 116 runs.
Hylton were in big trouble at home to Littletown, as they slumped to 33-5. However, Marlon Black scored 55 and Steven-Lee Merrington 34, to get them up to 173 all out, with Patrick Stephenson taking 4-22 with the ball.
In reply, the visitors were 22-3 but Jonathan Davis made 69, Tom Nicholson 53 not out and James Sneller 30 not out, putting on 121 runs together, to claim a six wicket victory for their team.
In the big game at the top of Division Two, leaders Seaham Harbour won at Ryhope by just 17 runs. The visitors totalled 180 all out and the home side came up just short on 163 all out.
Mainsforth kept the pressureonthetoptwo,withacomfortable win at Horden.
Evenwood struggled at Boldon CA thanks to some excellent bowling from Ryan Hale, who returned figures of 4-19, alongside Anthony Spencerwith3-28,whilethevisitors totalled just 92 all out with Rory Francis top scoring, with 35 runs to his name.
CA were ruthless in the chase, as opener Jason Jones hit 42 not out from 56 balls, to get his side over the line on 943 from just 13.5 overs, to record their third win of the season.
In the Dukes ECB North East Premier League, Burnmoor had a comfortable win at Hetton Lyons.
The home side struggled after deciding to bat first. Alexander Simpson struck with (3-10) and Craig Stephenson followed up with an excellent 5-10, as they had the Lyons on therackandalloutfor110runs.
The visitors made a shaky start, as Robert Talbot removed both openers cheaply, but 43 not out from Marcus Brown saw his team home for a six wicket victory.
In the big game at the top, saw South Northumberland took first knock at home to Benwell Hill.
They totalled up 245-7 declared. The Hill then held on at 204-8, to claim the draw.
Washington started well at home to Burnopfield. After deciding to bat first the visitors slumped to 64-5, as Chris Hooker claimed (4-39) and Mark Watson (3-53).
However, Mitchell Killeen with 39, Jacques Du Toit 31 and Jonathan Pears 30, and then Patrick Cooper added 32 late on and they eventually made 164 all out.
The home side made a nervy start and lost vital early wickets, but James Thompson scored a crucial 72 runs, to see his side home on 166-8 and claim an important win, in their attempts to avoid relegation,whiletheiropponents drop into the bottom two.
Whitburn struggled to 33-4 at home to Eppleton, as
Sadaf Hussain took (4-42) and Andrew Ebdale (3-34). Chris Greaves then made 41 and MichaelBittlestone30toputon59 runsforthefifthwicket,which got them up to a final total of 182 all out.
Eppleton then started badly, but Sam Dinning made 39, Jake Pratt 30 and then Dean Musther 42 not out, to earn a two wicket victory, as they finished on 172-8, despite Kieron Waterson taking 4-45.
Dukes ECB North East Division One leaders Sunderland lost at Ashington, thus bringing the home side back into the promotion race.
They only made 167 all out,
with Micky Allan scoring 57, while James Harmison and Paul Rutherford shared six wickets.
The home side then cantered to victory, making the requiredruns168-2,from27.2 overs.
Philadelphia batted first at Crook and opener Thomas Raine made 36, alongside Peter Greenwell jnr who added 33 and then Dan Pearson hammered an excellent 113 not out from just 90 balls, which included seven fours and six sixes, while Shahid Khan blasted 50 not out, as they put on 170 runs together for the fourth wicket and
eventually totalled 246-3.
Crook then had Andrew Pratt make 53 and Andrew Burgess a crucial 35 not out, as they knocked off the runs with one wicket to spare, finishing on 250-9.
Shotley Bridge took full points at home to Boldon. They made 205-9, thanks to Ross Burdon who scored 62 and Chris Robb 38, while Quinton Boatswain claimed 6-73 and Karl Bellerby 3-29.
The visitors made a fight of it, as Chris Ellison made 44, but they came up a bit short on 191 all out, with Ross Burdon taking 4-16 and Kieran Milburn 3-25.