With only one game remaining, it is still too close to call as Evenwood and Kimblesworth battle it out for the championship.

Both sides won at the weekend leaving Evenwood nine points ahead of their rivals going into their final match of the season at home to Ushaw Moor.

Tudhoe, who earlier in the campaign flirted with the leadership, were well beaten by Evenwood who quickly achieved an eight-wickets victory, their 16th of the summer.

Billy Teasdale and John Gill both took four wickets, the latter conceding only 19 runs in nine overs as Tudhoe were restricted to only 130 in 36.1 overs.

More than half the runs came from Simon Davies who recorded nine boundaries in 67.

Although Evenwood conceded a couple of early wickets, opener Chris Peareth (39 not out) proved the ideal partner for Deighton Butler who hit three sixes and five boundaries in an unbeaten 56. Evenwood were home and dry with 13 overs remaining.

Kimblesworth had more than 100 runs to spare winning at Ushaw Moor who are playing their final matches without professional Teneto Willett.

Australians Michael Fishwick (47) and Gavin Swan with 45 led Kimblesworth to 168-8 despite the efforts of Stephen Milburn with 3-44 and Craig Usher, whose four wickets cost him just 15 runs.

Ushaw Moor's response produced a total of only 67 as Stephen Meek ripped the heart out of the innings claiming five wickets for a mere 11 runs.

Kimblesworth's last game is at home to Shildon who celebrated only their second success, defeating second from bottom Langley Park by eight wickets.

Lee Wright (47) led Langley to the modest total of 120 as Cameron Pearce, Henderson and Rowley all took three wickets.

Replying, Shildon lost just two wickets as Michael Thorpe and Hiram Marambe both contributed unbeaten half centuries.

There was a close finish at Brandon where Etherley won by just two runs. Carl McGregor (35), Stephen Crane with 34 and Adam Lyall (34) were the principal contributors to the Etherley total of 167 all out.

Bobby Orton took five of the wickets for just 27 runs and in reply, Brandon ran out of time ending on 165-8 from their 45 overs. Australian Jim Allenby was only five runs short of a century and Grant Falk added 32 to their final total of 165-8. Carl McGregor captured four of the wickets for just 17 runs.

Esh Winning had two century-makers who put on 216 for the first wicket against Willington. David Lawlor ended unbeaten on 110 with two sixes and ten fours while John Carmedy made 105 which included a couple of sixes and 12 boundaries.

The innings produced 236 for the loss of just one wicket and replying, Willington were all out for 191 with 2.5 overs remaining. Carl Brown (34) and Darren Brown with 43 were the chief contributors and in the Esh attack Bobby Parkinson returned 4-41 from 12 overs.

The runs flowed for Sedgefield against Mainsforth even though their first three batsmen produced just ten between them.

It was then that Stefan Swanoepol and Kevin Wilkinson took charge both contributing 40 to a fourth-wicket partnership. The momemtum was maintained by Michael Dickinson with an unbeaten 70 and Mark Jamieson (50 not out) so that a total of 233-5 was achieved.

Martin Lower (5-48) and Steve Brodrick (4-17) then reduced Mainsforth to only 99 which included 36 by Robert Chismon who is to relinquish his professional role with the club next season but hopes to continue playing for them as an amateur.