Kimblesworth were frustrated when their game at Crook Town was called off - but their disappointment was tempered on learning that leaders Evenwood surprisingly lost their unbeaten record to Etherley.

The game was also affected by the weather and when Etherley managed just 84-5 from a reduced 25 overs, the odds were on Evenwood extending their lead at the top of the table.

Etherley, though, confounded the critics restricting their high-flying opponents to only 79-7 from the 25 overs.

Eddie Seery and Gary Cummings both claimed a couple of wickets and in the Etherley innings none did better than Carl McGregor, whose valuable contribution of 30 included a six and four boundaries.

David Leslie and Tyrone Beaton powered Langley Park into a winning position against bottom-of-the-table Shildon. They added 165 for the second wicket as Leslie stroked two sixes and 16 fours in 105 and Beaton had no fewer that four sixes and nine boundaries making 88.

Langley's 45 overs produced 214-3 and replying, Shildon were all out for 107 in 37.4 overs as David Gladstone returned 3-31 from 12 overs.

Esh Winning had seven wickets and plenty of overs to spare overtaking the Mainsforth total of 168-6 which featured a second-wicket partnership of 93 between Gary Purcell, with eight boundaries in 75, and Wayne Fairbank (42). Stephen Dunn was the pick of the Esh attack with figures of 3-34 from seven overs.

Responding, John Carmedy and Ian Dixon gave Esh a sound platform but it was the second wicket stand of 123 between Dixon and Tariq Mahmood which clinched victory. Dixon made 52 while Mahmood hit six sixes and eight boundaries in a whirlwind innings of 78.

Despite scoring 170-9 in 38.2 overs, Tudhoe had to settle for a draw with Willington. Shahid Anwar (42) and Simon Davies laid the foundations in the Tudhoe innings but remarkably not another player made double figures and six failed to score as the last seven wickets fell for only six runs.

By then, Davies had slammed five sixes and eight fours in 103 compiled from only 113 deliveries and just as outstanding was the performance with the ball by David Whitehead who captured seven wickets for 12 runs in 5.2 overs.

At stumps Willington were 77-5 with four of the wickets falling to Kevin Littlefair for 18 runs in nine overs.

In addition to the Crook Town v Kimblesworth game being called off, there was also no play at Ushaw Moor where Brandon were due to be the visitors.

l Andy Flower bludgeoned Essex to a thrilling four-wicket victory in their Frizzell County Championship clash against Northamptonshire as Ronnie Irani's side pulled off mission impossible at Northampton.

Zimbabwean star Flower, who scored an unbeaten 103 in the first innings, finished undefeated on 92 to steer his side home in the 50th over with 13 balls to spare.

With John Stephenson 25 not out, in-form Essex reached their improbable target of 291 in superb style.

Victory seemed almost fanciful after Northants' mammoth first-innings 632, but Essex cheekily declared on 497 for seven on Sunday and then skittled their hosts for 155 this morning.

Time was against them, but they went for the win, with a thrilling 111-run fifth-wicket partnership between Flower and Jon Dakin ultimately turning the tide in their favour. The pair came together at 114 for four and refused to entertain the thought of batting out a draw. Dakin plundered 57 from 60 balls, cracking a six and five fours, before he was run out by Tony Penberthy who had earlier ended Will Jefferson's impressive knock of 41 in similar circumstances.

Flower struck nine fours in his 91-ball knock, but it was his running between the wickets with Dakin and then Stephenson which helped see Essex home.

It was soon apparent that Essex were up for the chase as openers Jefferson and Darren Robinson put on 82 in the first 12 overs.

But the game swung back in Northants' favour when Robinson was stumped by Tobin Bailey for 31 and Jefferson soon followed.

The hosts may have begun to scent victory after Irani and Habib fell in quick succession but that merely provided the cue for Flower and Dakin to step on the gas. Northants had started the day in a strong position at 58 for two but things started to go wrong when Russell Warren fell in the second over without adding to his overnight six.

Left-armer Dakin sent down a good-length ball, got an outside edge and Robinson took the catch at second slip to leave Northants 62 for three. Four overs later and the home side were 76 for four. Dakin again found the outside edge to dismiss Australian Jeff Cook, caught behind by wicketkeeper Flower for nine. It was proving a real struggle for Northants' batsman second time around.