Swalwell's newcomers immediately struck form and played leading roles in the defeat of champions Ashington on the first day of the season.

Professional Stephen Humble bowled economically and took all three Ashington wickets to fall for just 34 runs.

Both Stephen Prudhoe and Ben Harmison made half centuries as Ashington passed 200 before Graeme Hallam showed his skills with the bat contributing 67.

But it was Swalwell stalwart Jason Dumighan who led the way with the bat contributing 88 in a three-wicket victory.

Burnopfield and Sacriston figured in a tied match. David Hall's 50 was the feature of the home team's 193-9 which looked reachable but some tight bowling restricted Sacriston to 193-5 in their reply. Paul Burn finished on 45 not out and new professional Stephen Ball added 44.

Another new pro, Lanchester's Bilal Rana, claimed 4-20 but it was another spinner, Michael Edmunds, who caught the eye with a hat-trick in figures of 4-39. He could not, however, prevent a big defeat for Lintz.

Wayne Greenwell and Andy Forster each took four wickets bowling out Ryton for 171 before Gary Hunter showed his worth to Consett with 65, which, together with a half century from John Handy, eased the Steelmen home.

Shotley Bridge also made a winning start and Peter Collingwood scored more than half his side's runs adding 83 at newly-promoted Benwell and Walbottle.

l John Crawley's controversial and very public move to Hampshire appears to have reinvigorated the former England batsman as he rattled up an unbeaten 223 on his debut for the south coast county in the Frizzell Championship Division One clash at Canterbury.

Replying to Kent's huge 577 for seven declared, the ex-Lancashire captain smashed 28 fours and shared in a fourth-wicket stand of 232 with Zimbabwe all-rounder Neil Johnson, who blasted 21 boundaries in his 117. Hampshire had begun the day 441 adrift with first innings eight wickets in hand and lost captain Robin Smith early for 31 but that brought Johnson to the wicket and he and Crawley terrorised the Kent bowlers.