Just two points again separate the leaders, Northallerton and Middlesbrough, with Great Ayton staying firmly in the race for the championship.

Boro and Ayton both enjoyed impressive victories and while Northallerton were again unable to kill off their rivals, they batted well enough to earn a draw with a maximum 17-point return.

This meant that the three- points cushion they gained the week before, when Boro were held at Marske, disappeared. But they lived to fight another day.

Professional, Rashmi Parida (65) continued his outstanding form to help the leaders to 250-6 against Normanby Hall, whose return to their best had brought them three wins in their previous five games.

Doug Mulholland was unbeaten on 59 and Mark Cowell chipped in with an important knock of 44 before the Hall responded with 176-8, with Mulholland (4-77) and John Sample (3-43) curtailing the run rate after starting a collapse.

The Hall lost six wickets for 57 runs after Chris Trillo (52) and Neil Pearson (49) had taken them beyond the hundred mark with just two wickets lost.

Boro made a very efficient job of beating Richmondshire at Acklam Park after needing to top 200. They lost just three wickets after a superb opening partnership of 137 between Alex Roberts (72) and James Lowe (64). Adil Ditta was unbeaten on 35 to see the team over the winning line. For Richmond, Andy Fleming hit an unbeaten 73 and professional, Shanuka Dissanayake, added exactly 50 out of their 210-4.

In contrast to Northallerton, who haven't won a league match since the first week of last month, Ayton won their fourth game of the last five by crushing bottom side, Saltburn.

Riaz Afridi (6-42) and Chris Bachelor (4-16), their two professionals, shared the 30.5 overs needed to dismiss Saltburn for a paltry 78. Then Ayton got the winning runs so quickly they went to the top of the table - for a couple of hours!

Four centuries were scored elsewhere with two in the same match. Hartlepool's young star, Paul Johnston, got the fastest, which was also his fourth of the season and his second in successive games.

He scorched to 117 from exactly 100 balls with 17 fours and two sixes. He shared in partnerships worth 75 and 53 as Pool raced to 200-4 against Darlington. Neil Pratt's second hundred in a week for Quakers, with 13 fours from 151 balls, might normally have given them a winning hand but Johnston had other ideas.

Rob Nicol, the Marske 'pro' hit the top score of the day, 125, including 14 fours and two sixes out of 272-5 against Marton. He and Steve Chapman (47) put on 150 for the first wicket before Guy Whatmore added a useful 44. Marton started their reply well enough but struggled to 158-8 with Chapman and skipper Chris Nicholls grabbing three wickets apiece.

The other century-maker was Darren Hickey, the Blackhall professional, who hit 120 before Mohammad Mirza (4-57) had Bishop Auckland in trouble. They just hung on for a draw with their last pair at the wicket, 75 runs adrift of the target set by the former Colliery club.

Guisborough's defeat by Redcar saw them drop into the bottom three as their season collapses. Tim Hood (81) led the Seasiders to a seven-wicket win.

In the First Division, Billingham Synthonia successfully continued their pursuit of Thornaby. The leaders won by four wickets at Wolviston, while the Synners were disposing of Middlesbrough by a five-wicket margin.