Tynedale will be out to extend their 22-points lead at the top of the table when they begin the second half of the season with a double programme against Morpeth and Backworth.

Early-order batsman David Smith returns this afternoon but David Mercer is unavailable. Captain Paul Pickworth needs to make a further change tomorrow since Graeme Riccalton cannot play and his replacement is Sam White.

Swalwell are going from strength to strength and in mid week inflicted a crushing defeat on Durham Senior League champions and current leaders Burnmoor.

"Australian professional Shaun Bradstreet has certainly lifted the club and everyone is up for a real tilt at the championship during the second half of the campaign," enthused captain Paul Dumighan.

Bradstreet is by far and away the leading scorer with a phenomenal average of 245 having scored 491 runs from his seven visits to the wicket. He has been dismissed just twice and for good measure he is second top in the bowling averages having picked up 22 wickets at seven runs apiece.

If Blyth and Sacriston are to profit, they will need to claim the wicket of the new South Wales batsman very early since once he gets going, he is just about unstoppable.

Swalwell are at full strength for today's match with Blyth but tomorrow cannot call upon medium pacer Jimmy Smith at Sacriston. Michael Armstrong fills the vacancy.

The League will be divided into two divisions at the end of the season so there is a lot for the clubs not challenging for the title, to play for. Currently, Ryton are in 10th place and captain Paul Carrick is determined his side will play in the top flight next year.

He was extremely pleased with his team's performance against Lintz in mid week which earned Ryton a semi-final tie in the League Cup against either Greenside or Shotley Bridge.

Today, for their visit to bottom-of-the-table Seaton Burn, Ryton bring in Paul Henderson for Neil Robinson and at home to Consett show a further change with Alex Earl replacing unavailable spinner Keith Allen.

Shotley Bridge, who in recent years have been one of the main title contenders, are eighth from top and need to show profit from their double with Alnwick and Seaton Burn.

Today, Paul McCourt, Rod Butler and Ian Heslop are all absent but the trio returns tomorrow.

Jonathan Benn will be missing from Percy Main's line-up for a couple of weeks.

He is at a wedding when his colleagues take on Whickham this afternoon and then is abroad with a school trip. His absence is only temporary but Phil Gordon announced this week that he has retired from the game.

Another experienced campaigner, Ernie Bewick has now played in six decades for Greenside having started out with the club in the 1950s. He is not included in the team for the double with Sacriston and Percy Main, however, and the only change is the replacement of Alex Wishart by Stephen Murray.