TYNEDALE powered on at the top of the table, and with all three leading sides winning convincingly against opponents from the relegation zone there was no change in the pecking order.

It was top versus bottom at Leadgate, and it showed as the home team were bundled out for 137 by the leaders as Richard Darling (3-39) led a fivepronged strike force who all enjoyed some success. Connor Fellowes (57no) and Johnny Meadows (62) then gave the run chase the perfect base with a century opening partnership, Tynedale eventually winning with eight wickets to spare.

Annfield Plain stayed second with a six wicket win at Ryton who were bowled out for 139 in 39 overs despite a defiant unbeaten 51 from Ray Marshall.

Neil Killeen (3-24 from 12 overs) and Owen Shield (3-35) took the major bowling honours before handing over to Gary Innes (5 fours and 2 sixes in 47) and Mickey Allen (50) who quickly took the game away from the hosts with a powerful second wicket partnership, victory arriving inside 27 overs.

Shotley Bridge gained their expected victory up at Alnmouth in a game where over 500 runs were scored. Lewis Hall (73 from 83 balls) and Phil Brown (7 boundaries in 63) lifted the Bridge to a 50 over total of 296-5, and although Tom Vickers did his best to rally the home troops with 12 fours in 77, Alnmouth finished 91 runs short on 205-6.

The best game of the day was at Consett where the home team just failed to knock off a target of 246-3 set by Swalwell, or rather Chris Hewison who blasted 16 fours and 3 sixes in a 135-ball 138 not out.

Consett looked set for success when Gareth Breese (86 from 85 balls) and Robbie Winn (60 from 61 balls) were motoring along, but when both fell the home team finished on 237-5 to lose by nine runs.

Lanchester’s Lee Dixon had a field day, bagging 7-25 against Burnopfield to bowl them out for 76 and secure an emphatic 86-run victory for his side, and Ashington just edged out Ponteland by 22 runs to go fourth.

In Division A2, Bedlington wenttopwithaninewicketwin at Morpeth at the same time as Percy Main were frustrated by their second tied match of the summer. Star man for the Terriers was Ben Harmison who had to come out of the visiting attack after bowling 8.2 overs, seven of which were maidens, and claiming 2-2. But he was still able to bat and cracked an unbeaten 58 to secure his side became the new leaders.