A DAUNTING season appears to face the two Teesside clubs who are finding life tough in the early Dukes NEPL skirmishes.

Struggling at the foot of the table after only two games, Stockton and Norton must wonder when they will enjoy a change of fortune after facing championship aspiring opposition in the opening two weeks of the new campaign.

Beaten by Blaydon on the first weekend, Stockton, despite a better batting display, couldn’t prevent Sunderland grabbing their first win with Rameez Shahzad (69) and Ashley Thorpe (63) giving a brilliant display of strokeplay as they chased down 196 despite losing three wickets relatively cheaply.

Stockton got off to a flying start in their innings when Jonathon Rickard (61) and Karl Turner (41) had the sun on their backs but Shahzad, the Wearsiders’ professional, grabbed three wickets to turn the game.

Norton fared even worse batting wise, bowled out for just 116 by South Shields who made an impressive 256-7.

Last week the Teesside batsmen were skittled by champions, South Northumberland for 94. Shields had the brilliant Paul Muchall to thank for an outstanding all-round display with a century and three wickets, with the other Muchall, Matty (3-38), joining him in providing a hostile opening attack as Norton floundered. Only Matthew Brown, with a half century, was comfortable.

Durham Academy, normally such formidable opponents, wilted under the power of South North, who beat them by six wickets. The champions and newly restored leaders bowled out the Academy for 148 with four wickets for Craig Smith and three for Richard Brook. Rammi Singh hit a useful half century and with Liam Coates (30) shared a stand of 80, but there was little to follow to trouble the home bowlers.

Blaydon took over the second league placing after another splendid win, beating Newcastle by 64 runs with Durham County batsman, Mark Stoneman making an opening 64. Then the wicket taking trio of Jon Malkin (3-14), Gary Stewart (3-17) and Martin Pollard (3-39) rolled Newcastle over for 79.

The two other games, at Gateshead Fell and Chesterle- Street, finished as draws although Benwell Hill had to rely on their final two batsmen to play out time against the Cestrians. Richard Waite continued his fine form of the opening week when he made 80 by getting the top score again – this time it was 82 – before Quinten Hughes (3-10) almost won them the match.

Chester had to be satisfied with a 15-point haul in the draw.

At Gateshead, the Fell were largely on the back foot throughout, with Tynemouth reaching 214-7 thanks to 86 from opener, Scott Borthwick and an unbeaten 45 from Andrew Smith. Will Gidman (56 not out) responded well in the Fell’s reply but on 186-6 at the close they were still 28 runs behind. John Foster (55) and Richard Smith (46) had earlier led a Gateshead recovery after they lost both their opening batsmen cheaply. David Hymers, who removed them both, finished with 3 for 21.