LEADERS Saltburn are clearly in no mood to give up their place at the top, demolishing Bishop Auckland who were dismissed for 34.

With rain a possibility at some stage, Saltburn wasted no time and the match lasted only 30.3 overs.

It has been a roller coaster season for Bishops whose new-look side started badly, staged a dramatic recovery to threaten the leading pack, but are now on a downward slide and not a single batsman reached double figures at Saltburn.

Pakistani left-arm spinner Mauhthashim Rashid has proved an inspired signing for Saltburn. He opened the attack and bowled five maidens out of 12 in taking five wickets for 12 runs. Tony Bell bowled 11.1 overs from the other end, capturing five wickets for 18 runs.

Saltburn's reply was both quick and effective. Although they lost three wickets, two of them to Andrew Tait for five runs, they hurried to victory in 7.2 overs.

Redcar stay second, two points behind their neighbours and rivals, following a 16-runs victory at bottom-of-the-table Normanby Hall.

It wasn't exactly comfortable for the visitors at the halfway stage when they were defending a total of only 113. Early wickets went down at an alarming rate but Mark Cosgrove, their young all-rounder proved a match-winner.

He stabilised the innings, batting at number three and had made 36 before he was bowled to earn Andy Harrow his only success. Neil Russell returned 3-31 and Addison 2-21 when Redcar added to their problems by having three batsmen run out.

Normanby Hall, with just one win all season, struggled from the start of their reply before Russell raised their hopes with a mid-innings contribution of 25 but eventually the innings closed at 97.

Cosgrove, who has added a new dimension to the Redcar team during his time on holiday from Australia, then became matchwinner with the ball. He took out opener Mark Croft and then claimed the prize wicket of Russell before picking up another two victims late in the innings to end with figures of 4-38.

Redcar professional Mark Higgs, introduced as third-change into the attack, took a couple of wickets for just 11 runs with his left-arm spinners