Foster's ECB North-East Regional Premier League: South Northumberland took another step towards the championship when they sent Norton crashing to just 61 all out.

In doing so, they extended their lead at the top to 42 points and now look unstoppable.

West Indian test star Reon King has produced several outstanding performances throughout the season, but none to match the marvellous feat at Norton.

He claimed the wickets of four of the first six batsmen to end with the magnificent figures of five wickets for 16 runs. Jonathan Gill and Richard Brook mopped up two wickets apiece and only two home players reached double figures.

It was a completely different picture when South Northumberland made first use of the wicket. Despite Marc Symington claiming the early wicket of Martin Speight, the runs flowed from a second-wicket partnership between James Miller (65) and Chris Hewison (39). Matthew Hall with 35 and Michael Smalley (29no) maintained the momentum, allowing a total of 236 for nine to be posted.

Durham Academy also won, but their chances of finishing at the top continue to recede. Stephen Ward (38) and Richard Waite with 43 produced a good stand for the second wicket, but Stockton only managed 146 as Moneeb Iqbal and Stuart Walker shared eight wickets. Walker's five victims were taken at a cost of just 25 runs.

Stockton made early inroads into the Academy innings, but Paul Cummings (39 not out) and Alex Roberts (37) put their side into a strong position and victory was achieved with four wickets remaining.

The battle at the bottom between Gateshead Fell and Tynemouth went firmly to the Seasiders, who moved off the basement with an eight-wickets victory - only their second of the summer.

The Fell, who are now last, posted a useful 202, but Ian Purdy struck 86 and Graeme Hallam struck 96 as Tynemouth produced their best batting performance of the season.

Stephen Devenport (60) and John Devenport, with 37, were the players who steered Fell past the 200-mark even though man-of-the-match Purdy claimed six wickets for just 42 runs.

It has certainly been an eventful, topsy-turvy season for Philadelphia.

They recorded their sixth win when they again upset the form book, defeating Chester-le-Street at Ropery Lane by five wickets.

Ian Potter captured five wickets for just 36 runs and the Cestrians were back in the pavilion for only 138, which included a top-scoring 46 by Allan Worthy.

Paul Riddle and James Davidson gave the Phili reply a good send-off before Jim Allenby ended undefeated on 41. Three of the wickets were taken by Ian Jones for just 33 runs. Franklin Rose tore through the Benwell Hill innings, leading Sunderland to an 80-run victory. His pace proved too much and the Hill innings ended on 87 as the West Indian returned match-winning figures of 6-29.

Shahid Nazir (4-38) and spinner Lee Crozier with 5-47 reduced Sunderland to 167 all out, which included 35 by Alan Mustard and 44 from Lee Rushworth, but the visitors' total still proved more than sufficient.

Newcastle were all out for just 81 at Blaydon where Graeme Onions returned 4-20, Craig Simpson 3-40 and another West Indian, Neil McGarrell picked up three wickets for just five runs in seven overs.

On a day when strangely there were some low scores, Blaydon's batsmen also found run-making problematic and they laboured through 55 overs, making only 125, which included a half century by Geoff Stewart with eight boundaries and 37 from Paul Underwood.

Gordon Muchall did much of the damage, his effective 19-overs spell earning him six wickets for just 48 runs.