Readers' Durham County League: Willington enjoyed a slice of luck on Saturday.

They managed to complete their game with Sedgefield while the match of the day between Kimblesworth and Evenwood was prematurely ended by a downpour.

No doubt sensing that rain was in the air, Willington wasted no time in dismissing Sedgefield for only 63 runs in 30.2 overs. Gary Cummins claimed four wickets for just 22 runs in an economical 12 overs which included seven maidens. He was backed up in the attack by Gareth Wyatt, whose ten overs produced figures of 3-17.

It took Willington just 14.5 overs to complete the task with seven of their wickets intact and they are now only 14 points adrift of Evenwood with a game in hand. All eyes were on the match at Kimblesworth. But with the home side on 109 for the loss of four wickets, heavy rain soon ruled out the possibility of any further play.

Michael Fishwick opened the innings with 35 and although John Maughan made a couple of early breakthroughs, Brian Clancy (55 not out) and Fishwick ensured there would be no collapse.

Tudhoe moved into third place with a narrow victory at Crook Town, where runs were scarce. Batting first, the home side struggled through 30 overs, totalling only 78 but then made Tudhoe work hard for a two-wicket win.

Kevin Littlefair took four wickets for just 17 runs in 12 overs, half of which were maidens, Shahid Anwar sent down ten overs, returning 3-22 and Harry Collingwood captured the other three at a cost of 37 runs in eight overs.

Tudhoe's hopes soon disappeared when Lee Morton and Neil Davies were quickly among the wickets. They almost snatched an unexpected win for Crook but Coulthard and Collingwood saved Tudhoe, contributing 24 valuable runs to an unbroken ninth-wicket partnership. Morton ended with five wickets for 36 runs from his 12-overs spell and Davies delivered 11.3 overs taking 3-38.

Langley Park beat the weather at Shildon, bowling out the home side in 23 overs for just 60 runs. Jones, with 4-19 from nine overs was the chief wicket-taker and there was support from Simon Huscroft and captain David Gladstone. Following the departure of David Leslie, Tyrone Beaton struck 22, guiding Langley to a six-wicket victory in 13.5 overs.

The games at Brandon and Ushaw Moor soon became victims of the weather.

Brandon had made 91 for the loss of three wickets in 29 overs when the downpour arrived. Michael Thorpe struck six boundaries, making 32, and Robert Morgan and David Fort both added 25.

Andrew Dunning claimed all three wickets to fall for 13 runs in seven overs.

Even less play was possible in the local derby between Ushaw Moor and Esh Winning. Atta-ur-Rehman (24 no) was still a danger to the home side when the game was abandoned with Esh on 71-5 from 28 overs.