NICKY Peng led the Valentine's Park massacre yesterday as Durham beat Essex by 24 runs to stay top of the Norwich Union League division two.

The 18-year-old Newcastle boy lit up a cheerless day in the bleak public park in Ilford by making an unbeaten 112 out of 264 for three.

With Nicky Hatch celebrating his first team debut by bowling danger man Stuart Law for four, Essex finished on to give Durham a record of four wins since their first game was washed out.

Peng's score was the highest by a Durham batsman in the one-day league sonce Wayne Larkins made 131 not out at Portsmouth in 1994.

Durham's total was also their highest in this competition since they amassed 266 for six against Northants at Hartlepool in 1994.

Their only higher total was 281 for two against Derbyshire at Durham University in 1993, when the games were 50 overs a side.

In 14 previous one-day games for Durham Peng had a top score of 47, but he took full advantage of three lives to reach 100 off 110 balls.

He was dropped on three at square leg, on 66 at cover and on 98 surrvived a sharp return chance to Ricky Anderson.

Of his 13 fours, two early ones were edged, otherwise he struck the ball with great power through and over the off side.

He cleared extra cover off left-arm seamer Justin Bishop for his only six and shared an unbroken stand of 128 with skipper Jon Lewis.

It was a happy return to old pastures for Durham's two Essex old boys as Danny Law launched the innings with 47 and also bowled well, while Lewis played superbly for 63 not out.

Such a commanding total looked beyond Durham's wildest dreams when they could hardly lay bat on ball in the first six overs.

Ronnie Irani and Ashley Cowan persistently got past the bat and it was no surprise when Martin Love, opening for the first time, edged Cowan to second slip.

But Law suddenly began to blast Cowan over extra cover and from 15 after seven overs Durham raced to 50 after 12.

The partnership was worth 72 in 11 overs when Law was lbw on the back foot to Bishop.

Martin Speight then contributed 30 to a stand of 52, but after one successful reverse sweep for four off Paul Grayson he gloved a catch to the wicketkeeper attempting a repeat.

That brought in Lewis in the 27th over, and although there were only four fours in his run-a-ball 50 he worked the gaps cleverly and never missed an opportunity to score.

When Ian Hunter bowled Darren Robinson and Law had his off and middle stumps rattled when aiming to drive Hatch it seemed only the big-hitting Irani could threaten Durham.

He set about Hunter and with Stephen Peters straight driving Hatch for two fours 43 were added in five overs.

Irani clipped Hunter's slower ball straight to James Brinkley at short mid-wicket but Essex stayed ahead of the rate during a stand of 57 in nine overs between Peters and Grayson.

Hatch, generally keeping the ball well up, bowled very well in his first six overs before proving rather costly in his last three as Lewis bowled him straight through.

There was a vital breakthrough when Peters was run out for 44, failing to beat Michael Gough's throw from deepish mid-on when sent back by Grayson.

Grayson then went for 43, chipping Brinkley to mid-wicket, but it still wasn't over as 19-year-old Surrey and Kent reject Richard Clinton emerged to hit 56 on his league debut.

He put on 37 with Durham University wicketkeeper Jamie Foster, who was run out by smart work by Nicky Phillips at deep cover, highlighting a crucial difference between the team - the quality of fielding.

Clinton also put on 53 in eight overs with Cowan, who drove Gough for six during three costly overs, and it was left to Law to apply the finishing touches.

He bowled Cowan, but Essex still had a chance when they needed 35 off four overs with three wickets left.

Again Law stepped in, however, having Clinton caught at short fine leg before finishing with three wickets when last man Bishop drove to long-on.