Foster's ECB North-East Regional Premier League: West Indian Test star Reon King and Durham County's Neil Killeen combined to keep South Northumberland in pole position.

Their performances were crucial in the comfortable victory over Blaydon, who are now second from bottom.

When South North lost early wickets it was Killeen who made the game's top score of 63, which together with 42 from Chris Hewison enabled the leaders to eventually pass 200.

Blaydon also struggled at the start of their innings and although David Bailey struck 40, he received little support as King took four wickets for 53 runs and Killeen completed a good day with 3-26.

Durham Academy are second and they too had plenty to spare over Sunderland at Ashbrooke.

It was Mark Turner who rescued Academy scoring 44 when he went in at number ten. But even so, the total of 167 looked a reasonable target for Sunderland. Simon Brown bowled an economical 17 overs, taking 3-28.

The introduction of Noneeb Iqbal into the Academy attack quickly had the home batsmen on the back foot and when he returned the outstanding figures of 7-45 in 15 overs, the innings closed with only 103 on the board.

Sherwin Campbell did not make his anticipated debut for Norton at Chester-le-Street and instead it was local lad Allan Worthy who was the match-winner.

The Cestrians faced the formidable target of 234 and Worthy, who opened the innings, batted throughout for an unbeaten 127.

Quentin Hughes added 56 and victory was achieved with five wickets remaining. Marc Symingtoon took three of the wickets for 57 runs.

The runs also flowed when Norton made first use of the Ropery Lane pitch.

Chris Fawcett (35) and Simon Hawk with 85 gave the innings a good send-off and Craig Symington finished 64 not out in a total of 233-4.

Heavy overnight rain and a shower during the match produced a perfect scenario for bowlers at Bunker Hill where runs were in short supply. Ian Potter clearly found the wicket to his liking, capturing four wickets for just 24 runs, and when the other Phili bowlers gave little away, Stockton were back in the pavilion with only 85 on the board.

The meagre total still proved sufficient though as Matthew Creese and Alan Walker shared nine wickets, reducing the home side to only 76. Creese, who has made a big difference to the Stockton attack this season, produced his best figures so far (6-19) and Walker returned 3-30.

Gateshead Fell won for the first time and did so comfortably at Benwell Hill.

Marcus Turner, who hit four boundaries in 42 and Steve Dunsford, with six fours included in 52, produced most of the runs when the Hill ended on 169 all out from 55.5 overs. Arkle sent down 14.5 overs in the Fell attack, claiming 5-62 and Alex Strange had 3-23 from the seven overs he bowled.

Although they lost three early wickets, the Fell coasted home with an unbroken fourth-wicket partnership between Stewart Hutton and Stephen Devenport.

The former struck three sixes and ten fours, hitting 89 after opening the innings and Devenport had six boundaries, contributing 44 not out to a seven-wickets victory.

The game between Tynemouth and Newcastle produced an abundance of runs, but there was no winner. Batting first, the Seasiders recovered from a poor start when Graeme Hallam and Ben Debnam both struck half centuries. Barry Stewart added a valuable 31 to a total of 220-9 made from the full 65 overs.

Paul Lindsay bowled the maximum 20 overs, taking 5-72 before Newcastle responded with 210-7 in 55 overs. Nick Tomlinson (36) and Ryan Philimore added 108 for the first wicket but when Russell Perry joined the attack and took 6-60 in 19 overs, Newcastle stuttered to 210-7. Philimore gave his best performance to date, his unbeaten 120 including four sixes and 13 boundaries.