Norton are struggling at the wrong end of the table after Stockton gained most of the points from their drawn game.

Despite making early inroads, Norton faced the formidable challenge of scoring 224 but they never showed any signs of troubling the visiting bowlers and were grateful when time was called.

Their last pair, Justin Peacock and Anthony Fawcett were together with only 124 runs on the board. But for a defiant mid-innings contribution of 33 by Durham County's James Brinkley, Norton would almost certainly have suffered defeat.

Richard Waite nearly won the game for Stockton when he claimed five wickets for 32 runs and Alan Walker struck early, taking the wickets of two of the first three batsmen.

Andy Bowman gave Stockton a good send-off with 42 but the innings stumbled until Walker, with an unbeaten 59, and Davidson, with 37 not out, led their side past 200 with an unbroken partnership for the eighth wicket.

Benwell Hill continue to lead the table and they saw off the challenge from Sunderland by 120 runs.

Another Durham player, Michael Gough starred when he struck one six and ten boundaries in 118 not out leading his side to 228-8 before Phil Nicholson applied the declaration after 58 overs.

Pakistani Shahid Nazir produced his best performance of the season and when he broke the back of the early batting, there was no way back for the visitors who collapsed to 102 all out.

Shahid's 12.5 overs included six maidens and his 5-17 return was his most economical so far. Martin Pollard gave support with 2-21 from nine overs and spinner Lee Crozier maintained his good form, claiming two wickets for 29 runs in another effective 11-overs spell.

South Northumberland continue to shadow Benwell Hill and they sent neighbours Newcastle crashing to 85 all out in 32.2 overs. The well varied home attack was on top throughout with John Gill and Richard Brooke sharing six of the wickets.

John Graham, with a six and four boundaries in 59, and Martin Speight, whose 47 included a couple of sixes and six fours, led South North to 219 despite Jonathan Bailey taking 4-42 from 15.1 overs and Keith Brown returning 5-49 in an effective 12.4 overs stint.

Marcus North was in magnificent form leading Gateshead Fell to victory at Tynemouth. The Australian, introduced as third-change, recorded the outstanding analysis of 8-42 in 18.5 overs as the Seasiders collapsed from a sound beginning to 199 all out.

Wayne Falla (43), Durham's Nicky Peng, who stroked ten boundaries in 54 and Amol Mazumdar (35) appeared to have Tynemouth in sight of victory until North's intervention.

Gateshead Fell used up all but two of their overs making 218 all out. Mark Brown stroked two sixes and nine fours before being caught just seven runs short of his century and Ian Pattison opened with 33, including six boundaries. Russell Perry sent down 18 overs in the home side's attack claiming 5-45.

Philadelphia had to hang on for a draw with their last pair, Phil Empson and Ian Potter at the wicket with only 90 runs on the board. Former Horden paceman Andrew Robson did most of the damage with 4-23 with Gary Stewart and Tim Simpson both taking a couple of wickets.

Batting first, Blaydon lost Paul Underwood and Nehemiah Perry early but Mark Drake continued his rich vein of form, carrying his bat for 69 after sharing a productive third-wicket partnership with Ian Somerville (43). Blaydon eventually posted 174-6, a total which proved way beyond the reach of Phili.

The game between Durham Academy and Chester-le-Street, which was due to be staged at Maiden Castle, was washed out