Fortune, they say, favours the brave but if Saturday is anything to go by it also had an important part to play in Chester-le-Street's bold bid to retain their championship crown.

For, as every other game was badly hit by stormy weather including two which never even started, the title-holders grabbed maximum points in a win on Teesside where the rain stayed away.

The Cestrians added 25 points to their lead which has now given them a 37 point lead over Blaydon.

After electing to bat Stockton made heavy weather of their innings as they were tied down by former team-mate Richard Waite who has a habit of making his former colleagues lives a misery.

Only opener Jonathan Rickard looked comfortable, hitting seven fours and a six before being trapped by Andrew Smith for 48 made from 107 balls.

That wicket fell with the score on 96 and after that it was a grind before the innings collapsed in a heap to Waite as the score went from 145-6 to 152 all out, the last three wickets falling in four balls without a run being scored.

Waite ended a marathon 19 over spell with 5-47, and Quentin Hughes chipped in with 2-29 in 13 overs.

Chester struggled themselves despite an opening stand of 61 between Simon Birtwisle (35) and John Coxon (28).

That was ended by the introduction of Rickard to the attack who sent them spiralling to 63-3, and then 89-5. With 64 still needed there was plenty of work for the sixth wicket partnership of Waite (40no) and Ian Hunter (36no) to do, but they did it with skill and application to seize victory in the 38th over.

The only other game to see a reasonable amount of play was at Hetton Lyons, where Sunderland put on 195-8, Joe Coyne batting through the innings for an unbeaten 88.

Ashley Thorpe was the one batsman to give Coyne support, making 49 before being run out going for the half century.

Gary Adey and Ryan Pringle shared six wickets in the Lyons attack and then Pringle went on to score an unbeaten 40 in the home team's truncated reply which closed on 96-3, Shaun Birbeck (32) the other main contributor.

Only 16 overs of play were possible at South Shields where the Durham Academy had made good progress to a score of 94-1 with Rami Singh (26no) just revving up for a possible third consecutive ton, although at least that was 16 overs more than at the other grounds.