The Readers Durham County League: With four games left Kimblesworth are just nine points adrift of leaders Evenwood after Lady Luck shone on them at the weekend.

They were able to stage their game with Brandon but Evenwood's home fixture with Crook Town was one of three to be washed out.

Kimblesworth took full advantage and after bowling out their visitors for 146 in 43.5 overs, secured a crucial seven-wicket victory to open up the race for the championship.

Nigel Darling conceded only 18 runs in his maximum 12-over spell and he claimed four wickets including that of Brandon opener Jim Allenby who struck form hitting ten boundaries in his 64.

Brendan Clancy assisted Darling in the attack with figures of 3-36 from 9.5 overs before captain Michael Fishwick and Stephen Meek set about the visitors' bowling. Fishwick stroked seven boundaries in 46 and Meek contributed 40 to set their side on the way to a crucial victory which took 32.4 overs to complete.

Any lingering hopes Tudhoe had of ending in pole position probably disappeared at Mainsforth where they suffered a nine-wicket defeat.

John Davis scored almost half his team's total when he recorded one six and five boundaries in an unbeaten 57.

Tudhoe, though, managed only 116 after labouring through 44 overs and it was the Mainsforth attack which dominated the innings. David Thompson conceded only 25 runs taking three wickets in 12 overs,

John Cavanagh returned 4-43 and Gary Purcell 3-27.

Despite Purcell falling to Shahid Anwar in the early stages of their reply, Mainsforth were never in danger as Robert Chismon and Craig Dargue put together an unbroken century partnership for the second wicket.

Tudhoe utilised six bowlers in their attack but none was able to dislodge either of the batsmen and Chismon finished unbeaten on 68 while Dargue was 40 not out.

Ushaw Moor were dismissed for just 58 in 28.3 overs at Sedgefield. Stefan Swanepoel returned figures of 4-23 from his 12 overs and Mark Lower 3-12.

When they batted first, Sedgefield's scored 153-9. Peter Rivis made a sound half century and later in the innings, Steve Brodrick added 45. Michael Hayton bowled 12 overs in the Ushaw Moor attack taking 3-16 while Brendan Jackson 3-43.