IN Senior Women Division One North Durham and Cleveland retained first division status although placed third in the promotion play-off group in Derby recently.

The very tight competition saw three counties win two matches each, but Derbyshire took the title with Merseyside runners-up.

A team of all ages ranging from student Katy Burgin to international veteran Faith Sinclair had a comfortable 4-1 win over Leicestershire, a hard fought 3-2 success with Merseyside, but a disappointing 1-4 loss to Derbyshire. So they totalled 36 points from the three matches, six less than Merseyside with Derbyshire ending on 43.

County veteran Jacky Gardner from Redcar played at number two and Dolphin's Kristy Birkin was third string. The fourth and fifth positions were shared between world champion Mrs Sinclair and the Darlington club's Tracy Spears and Sarah Hirst..

The opening match saw Mrs Spears open the county's account but Merseyside drew level.

Division One North (promotion play-ff group)

Durham and Cleveland SRA Principia Cup

Semi-finals draw

Men's Cup: Aycliffe v Redcar; Nunthorpe IV v Norton III.

Women's Cup: Nunthorpe v Chester-le-Street; Bedale v Sunderland H and RC.

Recent results

Men: quarter-finals - Nunthorpe IV 3, Chester-le-Street II 2; Norton III 4, Darlington VI 1; Aycliffe 5, Hild and Bede 0; Sedgefield II 2, Redcar 3.

Round three: Nunthorpe IV bt Yarm II; Darlington V lost to Chester-le-Street II; Bedale lost to Norton III; Darlington VI bt Chester-le-Street; Redcar IV lost to Aycliffe; Darlington III lost to Hild and Bede; Redcar bt Redcar III.

Women: quarter-finals - Nunthorpe bt Darlington Quakers; Chester-le-Street bt Chester-le-Street II; Bedale II lost to Bedale; Darlington II lost to Sunerland H and RC.