Burnmoor fall at the final hurdle but Sunderland win Division One
Burnmoor fell at the final hurdle in the Dukes ECB North East Premier League, as South Northumberland claimed the title on the last day of the season on average points.
Hosts South Northumberland totalled 190-8, with Simon Birtwisle making 43, Michael Richardson 31 and Sean Tindale a fine 66 not out, from 91 balls.
Burnmoor then collapsed to 84-6, as Ollie McGee and Jonathan Wightman shared six wickets together. Josh Coughlin top scored for the visitors with 31, but it was not enough and they finished on 150 all out.
The two teams relegated in the end were Sacriston and Washington.
Sacriston totalled 166 all out at Hetton Lyons, as Cameron Grimwood bagged 3-34, with Stanley McAlindon top scoring on 28. The Lyons then made a bad start at 23-3, as Melvyn Betts struck early blows. However, Gary Scott made an excellent 87 not out to guide them home to a twowicket victory.
Washington desperate for a win to avoid relegation, decided to bat first and made 179-7 at home to Benwell Hill, with Chris Hooker top scoring on 37 and Josh Wilson added 27, as Joseph Torre claimed 3-26 with the ball.
However, Hill then soon got into their stride, with Angus Guy making an excellent 87, supported by Phillip Bell who scored 35, as they put on 101 runs for the second wicket on their way to a five-wicket win, despite Hooker claiming 3-22 with the ball.
Whitburn were 159 all out at home to Tynemouth, as Owen Gourley took 3-33 and Lee Henderson top scored with 44. The visitors then had Matthew Brown (53no) and Andrew Smith (43no), to thank, as they put on 63 runs together to see their team to a six-wicket win.
Chester-le-Street hosted Burnopfield, with the visitors needing a win to stay up, and were set 215 to win, as the home side made 214 all out. Skipper John Coxon made 32, Quentin Hughes a fine 68 and then Brodie Glendinning
struck 56 from 60 balls, while Tom Foster claimed 4-64.
The visitors were then reduced to 52-4, as Glendinning (3-25) with the ball struck three early blows.
However, Jacques Du Toit (69) and Ben Robinson (42) put on 93 runs for the fifth wicket. They then needed 21 runs from the last three overs to beat the dreaded drop, with two wickets in hand, and then just two runs from the last over.
They lost a wicket from the first ball of the last over and still needed two runs to win, with five balls left. With just two balls remaining, Joel Selway hit a four to win a dramatic game by one wicket and ensure their premiership status for another year.
Felling hosted Eppleton and the visitors batted first, making 210 all out. Openers Tyler Easton (46) and Kristian Jefferson (55), put on 92 for the first wicket, but Paul Leonard (4-35) and Anthony Trotter (3-55) took regular wickets thereafter.
The home side started well in reply, as Alasdair Appleby made 32 and then Alan Mustard scored a match-winning 95 not out from 119 balls, which included 13 fours and a six. Sadaf Hussain pegged them back with 3-51, but Felling won by two wickets.
In Division One, Sunderland won the title in style, with a win at Crook. The home side posted 205 all out, thanks to skipper Andy Pratt who made 33 and Eddie Watson who thumped 61 runs late on from 66 balls, which included six sixes, while Micky Allan and Joe Defty shared seven wickets between them.
The Ashbrooke outfit then had Daniel Shurben to thank, as he made 114 not out from 96 balls, which included 12 fours and six sixes, alongside Christopher Youldon who scored 44 not out in a stand worth 66 runs, to win by seven wickets from just 33 overs.
Philadelphia closed out the season with a five-wicket defeat at Lanchester. Batting first they made 186-8, with
Shaun Smith scoring 32 and Dan Pearson 61, while Cameron Metcalfe claimed 3-68. The home side then replied with Kieran Gohery 48 not out, Charlie McPhail 54 and an outrageous 58 not out from Kieron Taylor off just 33 balls, which included five fours and five sixes.
Boldon lost at Newcastle who finish third in the league, behind Castle Eden. The visitors made 152 all out, as Jesse Tashkoff claimed 3-22 and then the home side had Benjamin Mussett in fine form. He made 93 from 76 balls, which included 13 fours and two sixes, to win by seven wickets.
Gateshead Fell posted 2358 at Blaydon, as Malik Javed made 112 not out from 148 balls, which included 14 fours and two sixes, alongside Michael Elliott who scored 49, while Dean Bailey claimed 3-30.
In reply, Paul Underwood made 40, Jamie Wightman 43 and Paul McCarthy jnr 34, but it was not enough and they finished on 189, 46 runs short, thanks to Jamie Arkle who claimed 3-37.
In Division One of the Readers Durham & North East Cricket League, Littletown scored heavily at home to Marsden, with Matthew Dench making 55, Jonathan Davis 59 and Tom Nicholson 72 from 53 balls, in a final total of 282-9, while Faz Hussain took 3-59.
Marsden then lost wickets regularly, Although Faz Hussain made 57 and Rameez Nawaz 76, they finished 66 runs short on 213 all out, as Patrick Stephenson (438) and Adam Sneller (3-60) claimed victory for their side.
Dawdon Welfare piled up the runs at home to Hylton, with Steven Gale making 37 and David Renwick 53, in a final total of 263-8, while Anthony Brown claimed 4-32. The visitors then struggled as Usama Yaqoob claimed 3-22 and Tahir Mahmood took 3-24, for the home side to win the game by a massive 132 runs.
Bill Quay were all out for just 94, at home to Durham City. Gabriel McCall claimed an excellent 5-16 and Alex Whitfield bagged 3-19. Captain Callum Steel then smashed 78 not out from 28 balls, which included seven fours and eight sixes, as the visitors won by 10 wickets in just 6.5 overs.
Ushaw Moor were skittled for 98 at Brandon, as Jamie Robinson took an excellent 6-23. The hosts eased to victory for the loss of just four wickets, as Dean Storey jnr top scored with 27 runs.
Esh Winning were without a game.
In Division Two, Ryhope qualified for promotion in style, with an easy 10-wicket win at relegated Silksworth, who were skittled out for just 60. John Errington, Liam Stores and Scott Lawrence took three wickets apiece. Opener Paul Jenkin then made 31 not out.
Mainsforth had to win their game and hope Ryhope slipped up. They did that by piling on the runs at Peterlee, as opener Ryan Nicholson scored an excellent 119 not out, alongside Kevin Dixon who made 66 not out in a total of 242-3.
They then bowled the home side out for just 118, thanks to John Cavanagh who claimed a brilliant 5- 12, with only Hafiz Aleem resisting with 34 runs and ended up agonisingly four points behind Ryhope in third place.
Boldon CA avoided the dreaded drop, as they won at Hunwick, who posted 157 all out, with Ben Thompson top scoring with 38, while Sam Sanderson took 4-28 and Anthony Spencer 3-12 with the ball.
Jason Jones then made a brilliant 95 from 78 balls for CA, which included 14 fours and three sixes, while Craig Pirie made 34, as they put on 128 runs for the second wicket, to claim the most important win of the season for their club, by seven wickets.
Horden were relegated, as they made just 92 all out at Murton. Graeme Martin took 5-46 and Taylor Vout 3-10 doing the damage. Jordan Vout then hit 34 not out, as they won by four wickets, despite Adam Dixon taking 3-43.
Champions Seaham Harbour had no game this weekend.