Local cricket round-up

BURNMOOR’S bid to finish the season.

as champions for a third successive year in the Warmseal Durham Senior League is going to need a major push, but they began the process with a high points scoring victory on Saturday.

Felling offered limited resistance after Jimmy Daley hit a superb century against the hosts who fell 52 runs short of the target of 201. It was Daley’s third century of the season.

The victory carried more significance because three of the teams above them challenging for the championship drew.

Leaders Boldon were held by Whitburn and Eppleton, in fourth place, were held by Seaham Harbour.

Hetton Lyons moved into second place by beating Durham City. Their regular destroyers of good batsmen, Sura Malinga (5-24) and Ian Male (4-15), were at it again as the City crashed to 87 all out.

The Lyons had made 176-7.

Only nine runs separated Boldon (190-8) and Whitburn (181-9), but the visitors needed a half century partnership between 10 and 11 batsmen, Ross Carty (18 no) and Paul Cook (21 no) as defeat stared them in the face. In the end they could have celebrated the unlikeliest of victories.

In the Wellstream NTSL leaders Swalwell continued their domination by ending Sacriston’s run of three successive wins which had taken them into third place in the rankings. Ian Pattison’s five wickets demolished Sacriston for just 66 runs. Shotley Bridge’s match against Ashington was abandoned when they looked set for victory. Swalwell’s lead, as a result, was stretched from ten to 19 points.

New Readers Durham County League leaders Kimblesworth and second placed Willington stayed above Shildon, who lost the lead the week before when they also forfeited their unbeaten record.

Kimblesworth bowled out Langley Park for just 72 to win by ten wickets with Nigel Darling (5-24) as man-of thematch while Gary Cummings (6-19) led Willington (115-3) to a seven wicket victory at Hylton (112 all out). Cummings also hit an unbeaten 34.

Ushaw Moor derailed Shildon Railway when Usman Arshad hit a swashbuckling unbeaten 150 out of 257-7. In reply the Railwaymen just avoided defeat when the rains came to save them on 192-9. Martin Ferguson’s 94 was the highlight while Arshad added three wickets to his superb day.

The remarkable figures of five wickets for just six runs for Matt Blackman put Mainsforth on the road to a seven wicket win at Tudhoe, while Esh Winning defeated Evenwood by 89 runs thanks to Mike Robson, who hit 90, and Paul Chivers who took five wickets.

Castle Eden destroyed visitors Peterlee to record their second victory of the double programme and stay firmly on course for the 3D Durham Coast League title.

After a bright start to the season Peterlee are fading quickly and they took a severely depleted squad to the home of the leaders and paid the inevitable penalty.

Richard Ede and Wayne Glaister hardly had time to break sweat before they were walking off to the applause of their teammates after bowling the opposition out for 34. It took just 12.4 overs to deliver the fatal blows, Ede finishing with 5 for 12 and Glaister 4 for 25. And it took just 10.1 overs for Castle to pick up their ten wicket success.

All the other teams lost further ground as the other games were rained off as cloudbursts swept the region.