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AFTER their shock defeat in the Kerridge Cup by Marton, leaders Middlesbrough cannot afford to relax for a minute as they are pursued for their championship crown as well.
Once again it is their lively neighbours who have high hopes of achieving the double.
While Boro enjoyed an impressive nine-wicket win over Bishop Auckland, Marton defeated Hartlepool, one of the two other title challengers and leaders in the early weeks of the season.
They showed great panache in scoring 179 to win with wickets and overs to spare as Chris Lane led the way with an unbeaten 83 from 96 balls with 11 boundaries, and sharing in partnerships of 67 with Graham Shaw, 59 with Jonny Spillane and 48 with Lee Hodgson.
When Pools took first knock, Marc Symington (49) top scored, but the 178-8 they reached in the 50 overs was never going to be enough.
Middlesbrough lost one outstanding opening batsman, Paul Johnston, but found another in Adil Ditta as they scored 216 for the loss of just one wicket against Bishops.
Johnston was absent playing for Durham UCCE in a first-class match against Warwickshire, but he almost went unnoticed as his skipper James Lowe hit a superb century and Ditta finished unbeaten on 89.
Lowe’s 101 came from 125 balls with 11 fours and two sixes, sharing in a brilliant partnership of 186 with Ditta’s contribution including 12 boundaries.
The batting paradise which Acklam Park again turned out to be spawned a second century with Bishop Auckland’s Phil Holdsworth hitting 48 in boundaries. He finished unbeaten on exactly 100 having faced 117 balls as the visitors posted a challenging 213-6.
Guisborough fell back in the title race when they failed to get the better of the bottom club, Billingham Synthonia.
Tariq Aziz (43) got the Priory side off to an excellent start, but only Graham Murray (38) kept the scoreboard flashing with the Synners’ bowlers, Nisal Randika (4-68 from 16 overs) and Martin Cull (2-73 from 24 overs) largely on top.
Keith Hewson (57 with ten boundaries) helped put on 74 for the first wicket but Guisborough struck hard by taking four wickets for 31 runs to leave their visitors on 162-9, Craig Symington saving the day with an unbeaten 38.
Great Ayton climbed back into sixth, bringing to an end a series of drawn finishes with a nine-wicket defeat of Normanby Hall (149 all out).
Riaz Afridi (5-47 from 25 overs) and Ian West (5-67 from 22.4) had the Hall in big trouble on 81 for eight, but Mel Sykes (25) led a rearguard action which added 68 runs.
Chris Batchelor (52 not out) and Matt Wilkinson (46) made 90 before the first wicket fell and then Steve Pennock (35 not out) made sure they romped home.
Darlington celebrated with their first league win after 11 games thanks to a strong batting display from Dan Hodgson (64), Simon Guy (51) and Liam Coates (33 not out) against Richmondshire.
They were set 206 to win following equally fine innings from Matt Brown (59), Mike Layfield (44) and Andy Fleming (43 not out).
Marske (72 all out) were humbled by Thornaby who have found their feet in the premier division. It proved a great day for late arriving professional Khurram Shehzad (6-22 from nine overs) in only his third game.
Blackhall’s win at Northallerton was shrouded in controversy as South African Warren Swan finished up needing one run for his century as the winner came from a no-ball.
Fellow professional Neil Killeen had successfully played two balls of the 32nd over and was aiming to stay unmoved from the final delivery from Andrew Fishburn to allow Swan to get his all-important run from the next over when the game ended unexpectedly as the bowler overstepped the crease.
It meant Swan was left stranded on 99 with 11 fours and three sixes after facing 104 balls.
Killeen, batting at No 4, came in with the score on 22 for two and left unbeaten 144 runs later with 63 to his name.
He faced 78 balls and hit nine boundaries.
Earlier he had taken three wickets in 18 overs. Stuart Lobb (4-49 including two wickets in two balls) stopped Northallerton in their tracks despite 92 from Rashmi Parida. They crashed from 80- 0 to 165 all out.
In division one, leaders Stokesley continued to dominate, with their ninth win in 11 games taking them 19 points clear with a game in hand of their main title rivals, Barnard Castle.
Top individual performances belonged to Stokesley’s Clive Dowson with seven wickets, and Guisborough’s Dave Goodchild and Richmond’s Marc Lockey who both hit centuries.
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