A DRAMATIC return to form by Shotley Bridge blew a hole in Burnopfield’s championship aspirations and, at the same time, handed a further bonus to soaraway Swalwell who increased their advantage over the chasing pack to 30 clear points.

Stuart Graham’s 78 runs helped lift the Bridge to a total of 244, but Burnopfield will be wondering how they managed to gift their opponents a massive 53 in extras that effectively put the game out of their reach, their largesse no doubt contributing to a downbeat batting display in which they were bowled out for 115 as Graeme Angus and Graham Brinton shared six cheap wickets.

Swalwell’s latest victory was once again a morale sapping one for the rest of the division.

Percy Main felt that they had done reasonably well to hold the champs to 229-6, Malcolm Clarke’s 79 the highlight, but then they were skittled for a paltry 51 as Guy Saxton demolished them with a bag of 6-31.

Tynedale moved level with Burnopfield in second spot when they successfully defended a modest 152 at Ryton, skipper Tom Cant virtually unplayable with a spell of 7-21, and Annfield Plain look to be regrouping well, a five-wicket victory over Ponteland moving them up to fourth, Neil Killeen another skipper inspiring his side with three wickets followed by a 77-ball 78 not out.

The most dramatic game came at Lanchester where the home team held their nerve to defeat Consett by two runs after the visitors failed to score the required seven from the final over.

That would have delivered a desperately needed victory but instead defeat left them locked in the bottom two.

Lee Murray top scored for Lanchester with 39 in 157, but it was his contribution at the end that really made the difference as he delivered the last over of the day to thwart a disappointed Consett (155- 8) who had earlier been pegged back in the run chase by Michael Lukic (3-27) and Kieran Taylor (3-35).

Lintz’s potential get out of jail card proved to be more of a ball and chain as Leadgate handed out a 1620run thumping that saw the deflated losers stay firmly rooted to the foot of the table.

The visitors piled on the agony with a score of 244-9, Callan McCabe and David Richardson headlining in an all start cast with half centuries, and then Aussie Luke Fitzner turned Lintz’ world upside down with a devastating 14.4 over spell of 7-26 to blast them out for 82.

In Division A2, Whickham took advantage of Alnmouth’s rest day to move to the head of the table, but the ten points they gained from a rain affected draw at Ashington only took them three in front of the newcomers who now have a game in hand.