The race for the Captain's Table title is very tight with Tow Law New Market A, who have 15 points, holding a single point advantage over Newhouse Club and Stanley Earl Derby.

The remainder of the table is 4th equal Tow Law Cattle Mart and Esh Stag's Head 13 each; 6th Hamilton Row Black Horse 10; 7th Esh McKennas 9; 8th equal Tow Law Station, Sunniside Moss Inn and Sunniside Comedian 7 each; 11th Tow Law New Market B 6; 12th equal Tow Law Rose & Crown, Cornsay Royal Oak and Tow Law Dan's Castle 5 each.

In the only match played Tow Law Cattle Mart looked to be on their way to a whitewash success against the visiting Tow Law Station when they took the two trebles and all six singles. However the visitors fought back to save the ignominy of no points when took two of the three doubles.

Willington League

Hunwick Joiners Arms and Willington Black Horse Tavern both took advantage of former league leaders, Willington Club's idle week to move ahead of them. Both teams recorded victories by three points, the Joiners at Willington Commercial and the Tavern at Willington Burn. This leaves the Joiners one point clear at the top with the Black Horse Tavern now three points ahead of Willington Club.

Willington Burn had singles wins from Colin Davison and Malcolm Campbell to add to the doubles wins from Neil Foster with Malcolm Campbell and Steve Robinson with Colin Davison but the visiting Black Horse Tavern went to victory with singles from Kevin Bake, Aynsley Rainbow, Paul Allchurch and David Hawkins, followed by a doubles point from Joe Davies with Aynsley Rainbow and completed with a win in the team game.

Prospect Club 8 Victoria Club 3; Willington Cottles 8 Sunnybrow Brown Trout 3; Hunwick Quarry Burn 7 Willington Brewer's Droop 4; Willington Black Horse Inn 1 Willington Lion and Unicorn 10; Willington Commercial 4 Hunwick Joiners Arms 7; Willington Burn 4 Willington Black Horse Tavern 7.

Crook Ladies League

Dorothy Storey of Crook Travellers Rest joined the list of maximum scorers when she hit 180 to help her team to a five points home win over Crook Belle Vue. The other leading individual scorers of the week were Marian Hesp and Eileen Graham 140 each for the Queen's Head A, Sheila Jones 140 for Jelly's Bar A, Doris Elsbury 127 for the New Market B and Mary Jane Walton 123 for the Victoria Club.

Crook Queen's Head A lead the table by a massive thirty-seven points from Tow Law New Market B, who are six ahead of Crook Jelly's Bar A. Crook Travellers Rest trail Jelly's A by twelve points but have a match in hand.

Results

Tow Law North Point 7 Willington Black Horse 4; Victoria Club 6 Tow Law Station 5; Tow Law Dan's Castle 2 Crook Jelly's Bar B 9; Crook Travellers Rest 8 Crook Belle Vue 3; Tow Law New Market A 7 Crook Olde Horse Shoe 4; Crook Cricket Club 4 Tow Law New Market B 7; Billy Row Green 8 Crook Queen's Head B 3; Crook Queen's Head A 10 Billy Row Royal George 1; Crook Jelly's Bar A 6 Tow Law Cattle Mart 5. Re-arranged - Tow Law Dan's Castle 5 Victoria Club 6.

Wear Valley Ladies League

Irene Clark, the league secretary, was delighted to put her name on the list of maximum scorers when she hit 180 for Crook Coach and Horses in the home win over Croft Social Club. Besides the personal satisfaction she also had the pleasure of moving her team up into joint second place in the table, one point behind the new leaders, Oakenshaw. Crook Mill House moved up to share second place, with Hunwick Quarry Burn a point behind.

The other leading individual scorers were Leslie Bolam 140 for the Quarry Burn, Jackie Hutchinson 140 and Donna Bibby 133 for the Mill House and Freda Brown 130 for Oakenshaw. Dorothy Knight hit a 106 check out for Croft Social Club and Debbie Browne hit a 105 finish for the Surtees.

Results: Crook Bar 56 5 Crook Surtees 4; Crook Coach and Horses 6 Croft Social Club 3; Howden Sunnydene Lodge 4 Oakenshaw 5; Byers Green Club 5 Hunwick Quarry Burn 4; Crook Three Blue Bells 2 Crook Mill House 7. There were no results from Willington Brewer's Droop v Crook Golden Fleece or Crook White Swan v Crook Royal Sun Inn.

Crook League

Second division Coach and Horses beat first division opponents Old Horseshoe in the first round of the knockout.

White Swan and Travellers were victors in deciders after ending all square at 6-6.

Results: White Swan 7 Australian 6; Blue Bells 4 Belle Vue WMC 8; Market 8 Golden Fleece A 4; Travellers Rest 7 Royal Sun Inn 6; The Green 7 Sunnydene Lodge 5; Green Tree 3 RAFA 9; Coach and Horses 8 Old Horseshoe 4; Mill House 9 Farrers Arms 3;

180s: Micky Trotter (Mill Race); Neil Carruthers (Travellers); Jeff Hodgson (Old Horseshoe); Charlie Lee (Market); Lee Johnson (RAFA); Doug McCarthy (Belle Vue).

Weardale Ladies League

A maximum against Rookhope has taken Blue Bell B into an eight point lead over Mill Race. Pack Horse are third and Blue Bell A fourth, but both are well adrift of the leading duo.

Results: Rookhope A 5 Wolsingham Black Lion B 4; St Johns Chapel Blue Bell B 9 Rookhope WMC 0; Wolsingham WMC 6 St Johns Chapel Golden Lion A 3; St Johns Chapel Golden Lion B 3 St Johns Chapel Blue Bell A 6; Stanhope Grey Bull 4 Stanhope Bonny Moor Hen 5; Eastgate Cross Keys 3 Blanchland Sports Club 6; Stanhope Queens Head 3 Wolsingham Mill Race 6; Stanhope Pack Horse 7 Westgate Hare and Hounds 2; Wolsingham Black Lion A 4 Wolsingham Black Bull 5.

Top scores: Lisa Waistrell 117 (Wolsingham WMC); Jackie Coates 160 (Mill Race); Liz Oliver 140; Leslie Ann Bell 138 (Black Bull); Joan Kellett 138 (Blue Bell B); Norma Wall 125; Joan Emmerson 125; Vera Brown 123 (Golden Lion A).