IN THE Dukes NEPL only three games started, and even then it was only for a short time, with the match at Tynemouth easily the longest with 34 overs of play.

Visitors Hetton Lyons made 104-2 in that time, recovering from 23-2 through an unbroken third wicket stand of 81 between Shaun Birbeck (40no) and Paul Riddle (37no).

Stockton were in a bit of trouble at Sunderland, being 43-3 after 14 overs, with Chris Rushworth (2-25) and Kieran Waterson (1-17) causing problems, while over at Jesmond Newcastle had reached 49-0 after nine overs against South Shields.

The Warmseal Durham Senior League was virtually wiped out with the match at Norton, where Horden were the visitors, the only one to start, the home side reaching 53-1 in 16 overs, with John Watson 36 not out.

It was a similar story in the 3D Durham Coast League with Bill Quay and Easington (30-0) making the one forlorn effort.

The Readers Durham County League fared no better, Marsden’s match against Ushaw Moor saw the home side at 38-2 before they surrendered.

In the Wellstream NTSL , two games got a reasonable amount of play in, with Sacriston picking up enough points to go to the top.

Ashington were in trouble from the start with only Stephen Boyd (42) managing to get to grips with the Sacriston attack in which Melvyn Betts and Ryan Moralee were outstanding.

Moralee claimed 3-17 in an impressive late burst after Betts had ripped through the top order with 4-13, aided by Aussie Kendal Ballard (2-36), the Colliers sent packing for just 85. But with the rain closing in Sacriston were denied the chance to press on for a victory, having instead to be satisfied with going two points clear of Swalwell.

A truncated game did take place at Tynedale, and it produced a result that gave Percy Main the chance to move into title contention. But once again for the Main lads it was a nerve shredder with just seven runs separating the teams in a match reduced to 28 overs per side. Main were in desperate trouble at 14-5. But IPL player Anirudh Singh dug in to rescue his team with a battling 48, and even though Stephen Smith closed with figures of 5-39 the visitors managed to scramble up to a semi-decent 125-9.

Tynedale then also found themselves in some bother early on as Guy Saxton (2-43) and Mike Phillips (3-35) dominated, but then Gary Hunter (36) and Smith (32) looked to be steering the hosts to success until Main skipper Richie Walker (3-19) removed them both to seal the game for his side to move them into fourth place.