Readers Durham County League

That nothing is certain in cricket was in evidence on Saturday when Evenwood crashed to defeat at Ushaw Moor.

They have won the six games which they had completed, boasting a 19-point lead at the top but on the day were outplayed by Ushaw Moor, who romped to a ten-wicket victory. To make it even worse for Evenwood, they failed to gain a point.

Only Deighton Butler, who with 45 runs scored almost half his team's total, made an impression on the home attack. Michael Hayton set in the rot when he claimed the wickets of the first three batsmen to end with the outstanding figures of 3-8. Douglas took 4-33 and Sanjay Raul also claimed a couple of wickets.

However, it was with the bat that Raul really starred. He took the Evenwood attack on from the start and finished undefeated on 68 in partnership with Hayton and victory was quickly achieved.

Tudhoe moved to the top of the table and are a point in front of Evenwood with a game in hand. Shahid Anwar and Simon Davies were their match-winners.

The former returned 4-20 in 11 overs including six maidens as Sedgefield ended with 153 on the board, which included a late 34 from Flockert.

Anwar then took over with the bat, contributing 68 (three sixes and five boundaries) to a first-wicket partnership with Simon Davies (73 not out), which took their side to within a few runs of victory before Anwar became Sedgefield's only victim. Davies struck a couple of sixes and ten boundaries.

Esh Winning maintained their challenge for honours, winning by nine wickets at Crook Town. Atta-ur-Rehman, with 5-13 from 10.2 overs, was the main destroyer of the Crook innings, which produced only 73 runs in 21.2 overs.

Eddie Watson, Neil Davison and John Rippon shared the other five wickets before David Watson and David Lawlor paced Esh's reply, which lasted just 19.3 overs.

Willington, who include Philadelphia and Horden among their scalps in cup cricket, overtook the Etherley total of 216-9 losing just one wicket.

After Karl Brown and Gary Cummings had put on 62 for the first wicket, Cummings (80 not out) and Gareth Wyatt, who struck two sixes and ten fours in an undefeated 87, sweeping Willington to victory in only 42 overs.

Yasas Tillakaratne finished with 120 not out having hit two sixes and 14 boundaries and Stephen Crane added 42 to the formidable Etherley total. The five-man Willington attack toiled and their chief wicket-taker was Cummings with 3-51 in 12 overs.

Kibblesworth won for the third time, defeating Mainsforth by six wickets. Despite an undefeated 51 by Carl Dargue, the home team managed just 100 as David Showler and Clancey both took three wickets. The Cochrane twins Adam (27) and Lloyd (26) made useful additions to the Kimblesworth reply but it was Clancey, with 41 not out, who steered his side to victory.

Shildon produced a much better batting performance but were unable to stave off defeat at the hands of Brandon. Chris Lye (32) and Ramsey (30) led their side to 153 with Michael Tinkler returning 4-32 in the visiting attack.

It was Robert Morgan who was the star; the Australian attacking the Shildon bowling to such good effect that he ended undefeated on 113, victory for Brandon was secured with ease.