The Readers Durham County League: Evenwood lost ground in the race for the championship and may have to defeat second-top Willington next Saturday to stay in contention.

A big body blow was their failure to defeat Ushaw Moor when the scores ended identical. The visitors were presented with a target of 159 and although Darren Punshon made 37, the initiative was with Evenwood until Peter Maddison went in at No 7.

He struck 48 and, following an exciting finale, led the team to 158-8 as John Maughan and Deighton Butler shared seven wickets in the Evenwood attack.

It was Butler who set the home innings towards the total of 158-7 when he made 61. But with Sanjay Raul bowling economically taking 3-29 from 12 overs, runs were always at a premium.

There were no such hiccups for Willington, who romped to a ten-wicket win at Etherley after dismissing their opponents for 128.

Andy Coe, brought into the attack as second-change, did most damage with the outstanding figures of 5-21.

Openers Colin Barker and Lee Gowland contributed 59 between them, but the batsmen then struggled against the four-man Willington attack.

The Etherley bowlers did not threaten either Karl Brown (72 not out) or Gary Cummings (48 not out) and the pair completed the winning task.

Robert Morgan was in stunning form for Brandon against Shildon.

Incredibly, he faced only 103 balls during his 125 minutes at the wicket yet finished with the magnificent total of 166, hitting six sixes and 24 boundaries.

When David Storey added an unbeaten 52, Brandon were just one run short of 300 from 45 overs.

The task was always beyond Shildon, but Davies (30) and John Brennan (34) enabled the respectable total of 154 to be achieved even though Michael Tinkler took 3-59 and young spinner Jamie Robinson 3-29 for Brandon.

Shahid Anwar was another century-maker as Tudhoe also posted a big total at Sedgefield.

He contributed 107, Simon Davies added 84 and Kevin Littlefair an undefeated 52 to a total of 271-6.

Home captain Michael Ridley had figures of 5-56.

Paul Ellwell led the Sedgefield reply, making 53, but when Littlefair claimed four for 16 and Anwar weighed in with three, the innings produced only 125.

Stephen Meek ended unbeaten on 68 and the Cochrane twins Lloyd and Adam made useful contributions to Kimblesworth's winning total of 126-1 at home to Mainsforth. Despite a promising start by Gary Purcell and Robert Chismon, Sedgefield managed only 125 with David Showler claiming five for 38 runs and Meek returning figures of 3-59.

Richard Manuel and Lee Morton both made half centuries and 37 extras assisted Crook to a welcome victory at Esh Winning, where they overtook the total of 203 with six wickets remaining.

John Carmedy (50) and John Rippon with 62 provided most of the runs in the Esh innings as Lee Morton and March ended with the same figures of 3-43 for Crook.