THREE wickets from Australian Aaron Payne were not quite enough as Corbridge lost to second placed Backworth.

The first change bowler gave his side hope of victory but the hosts were able to get away from the Corbridge bowlers with Nathan Collins' unbeaten half century earning them the points.

With Corbridge posting 125 from their 50 overs, Backworth were struggling at 29-2 with Zubair Ahmed causing all sorts of problems as he opened the bowling with Russell Perry.

Ahmed removed the top two of captain Alan Robson and Terry Finchen, racking up a caught and bowled to see off the skipper and removing Finchen's bails.

Collins, though, proved the match winner as his patient batting guided the home side along, even if the middle order struggled with some great bowling from Payne.

He struck to have Paul Robson caught by Andy Dover, and then followed it up by trapping both Daniel Crow and Graeme Fairbairn lbw.

Chris Miller dug in and helped Collins along, but he departed after facing 25 deliveries when caught by Chris Fowler off the bowling of Dover.

James Scott came in and assisted Collins well, the top scorer hitting three fours and the same amount of sixes to pass his 50 and earn the points in the 37th over.

Corbridge captain Dover won the toss and put his side into bat first, looking to Fowler to again steer them along after his fantastic unbeaten century in the win over Ashington Rugby Club the previous week.

A masterful display of batting saw him make 103 not out as he helped Corbridge to the three wicket triumph, overhauling Corbridge's innings total of 196.

But Fowler was unable to reach the heights of seven days earlier as he was the first to fall as he opened with Dave Smurthwaite, Miller giving Scott Shannon a catch.

Things went from bad to worse for Corbridge when Doug McKendrick and Marcus Sewell were both bowled by Chris Liddle without adding to the scoreboard.

Yet Smurthwaite and Perry steadied the ship slightly, with Dover continuing the good work to steer Corbridge towards triple figures.

Yet Liddle was in great form and completed his five-fer as he saw off Dover, his teenage son Corey and Payne.

Simon Walker and Ahmed joined forces for the final wicket stand, and refused to be bowled out to deny Backworth maximum points.