Redcar bounced back with a vengeance from their defeat at the hands of leaders Saltburn to destroy a weakened Darlington RA team at Brinkburn Road, writes Alan Johnson.

The home team were dismissed for a paltry 64 in reply to Redcar's mammoth total of 244-7 in their 50 overs.

Mark Cosgrove claimed 6-27 and Mick McCabe 4-25 in their 11-over spells to cause havoc among the home batsmen. Only number 11 Peter Cartwright, brought out of early retirement, made double figures.

For the visitors, opener Martin Hood crashed 11 boundaries in an unbeaten 124 from 159 deliveries, while Australian professional Mark Higgs made 38 as they dominated the RA bowling.

The victory threw the championship race wide open again as Saltburn could only draw at Marske.

Home professional and opener Stewart Hutton made a fine 106 from 130 balls, including 13 boundaries, and Tim Hood scored 34 as they reached 204-7.

Pakistan professional Maujashim Rashid claimed 5-92 and then went on to make a top score of 44 as Saltburn reached 150-7 when bad light stopped play early and the match ended as a draw. Hutton claimed three of the wickets in his ten-over spell at a personal cost of 20 runs.

Guisborough batted first at Park Drive and made 242-5, the highest total of the day.

Opener Graham Shaw made a cracking 124, which included two sixes and 14 fours, and Graham Murray plundered 55.

Early wickets fell regularly when Hartlepool replied, but a fine ninth-wicket partnership between Andy Carter (38) and veteran Jerry Boyd (36no) helped them hold on for a draw with the score at 150-9 at stumps. Paul Goodchild was again the pick of the bowlers and claimed 5-31 in his 12 overs.

At Feethams, Darlington were indebted to captain Gary Moody for a fine innings of 91, which included 11 fours, and Mark Jobling, who made 48 as they shared a fourth-wicket partnership of 132 in 159 deliveries.

The home team scored 218-6 in their 50 overs as Geoff Love, the Thornaby professional, claimed 3-65 in a 21-over spell.

The visitors never really threatened and they had made 164-7 when rain and bad light halted play in the last over. Opener Mark Muldowney made 30 and Phil Merryweather 49.

At Acklam Park, Richmondshire's Pakistani professional Umer Rashid made a top score of 46 as the visitors were dismissed for just 93 runs.

West Indian Test player Hendy Bryan produced a season's best performance with the ball to be the chief destroyer, taking 6-54 in his 19.5-over stint.

The Middlesbrough batsmen also struggled, but Bryan, batting at number eight, scored an unbeaten 28 to see them home by a narrow two-wicket margin with the assistance of 34 extras. Rashid claimed 4-21 and Martin Shutt 4-30.

Blackhall took first knock at the Welfare Ground and posted a target of 235-7 for last season's champions Bishop Auckland.

Mark Hopkinson made 75 and Tony Booth recorded his top score of the season with an undefeated 83.

Steve Chapman, the visitors' professional, made 52 in their reply and captain Keith Stones produced an unbeaten 72, but the innings closed at 166-7 and the match was drawn. Stuart Morgan took 4-43.

Bottom club Normanby Hall batted first at Cricket Lane and struggled against the Northallerton bowling. Professional Jonathan Barnes claimed 4-46 to restrict them to a modest 146-6 after 50 overs.

The visitors also struggled against professional Neil Russell, who followed his half-century with the bat by taking 6-37 with the ball and, in tandem with Steve McNicholas (3-45), caused all sorts of problems for the opposition.

In fading light, Northallerton clinched an exciting one-wicket win, helped by 46 extras. Captain Ian Gill made the top score of 43.

l See page 30 for a round-up of Division One matches