CHAMPIONS Haltwhistle showed they mean business again this year as their defence of the West Tyne League title started in style.

A brilliant performance saw them claim maximum points over Hexham Leazes , hitting 264 runs on a good, early season wicket for the convincing 154 run success.

All eyes were on how Leazes would cope with the loss of key players, but they started reasonably well as Haltwhistle’s danger men of Joe Barber and Dan Parker departed for 16 and 35 respectively, both caught behind by Andrew Brown off the bowling of Scott Ferguson (2-53).

But the pairing together of Graeme Lee and Ben Lloyd put Halty firmly in the driving seat, a 130 run partnership helping them to the formidable total.

The good performance spread to the bowling too, with Dan Kirkup (3-21) particularly impressive as his tight spell saw him claim three wickets.

The rest of the wickets were shared around with Carl Bell (1-37), Barber (1-22), Phil Thompson (2-3) and Lloyd (2-16) contributing to remove Hexham all out for just 110, openers Raji Kingman (18) and Ben Thompson (30) the stand-out knocks.

HALTWHISTLE v HEXHAM LEAZES

Haltwhistle won by 154 runs

HALTWHISTLE: J. Barber c Andrew Brown b Ferguson 35; D. Parker c Andrew Brown b Ferguson 16; B. Lloyd st Andrew Brown b Toward 64; G. Lee b Willis 72; R. Bell b Willis 27; J. Wallace c Thompson b Willis 4; D. Kirkup not out 2; C. Bell not out 1. Extras 40. Total 264-6.

Bowling: Alex Brown 9-0-55-0; T. Willis 9-0-81-3; S. Ferguson 12-2-53-2; D. Toward 12-1-52-1.

HEXHAM LEAZES: R. Kingman b Kirkup 18; B. Thompson c R. Bell b Kirkup 30; A. Whitaker c R. Bell b C. Bell 1; B. Kingman c Parker b Thompson 19; S. Donnison b Barber 10; D. Toward lbw b Kirkup 1; Andrew Brown lbw b Lloyd 6; J. Toward b Charteries 3; Alex Brown b Lloyd 4; T. Willis not out 2. Extras 16. Total 110ao.

Bowling: C. Bell 7-2-37-1; D. Kirkup 12-3-21-3; J. Barber 8-0-23-1; P. Thompson 4-2-3-1; B. Lloyd 2-0-16-2; M. Charteries 1-0-2-1.

Haltwhistle 12pts, Hexham Leazes 3pts

On Saturday, Haltwhistle face a Wylam side similarly in the runs as they thumped Newton by 150 runs after posting a fantastic score of 232.

Wylam were red hot as they opened, Alex Rayner (66) and David Teasdale (87) looking invincible during the early stages.

Their successors didn’t cope as well, but there were decent contributions from James Teasdale (19), Andy Paton (11), Rob Bergstrand (10) and captain Ben Duncan (19*).

Wylam’s bowling attack were well on top too as Duncan (4-17) and Paul Robinson (4-18) turned the screw, Jim Balkwill the only Newton batsman to rack up the runs with 25. Paton (2-12) brought things to an end with his two wickets, seeing the visitors off for just 82.

WYLAM v NEWTON

Wylam won by 150 runs

WYLAM: A. Rayner c Wood b Jones 66; D. Teasdale b Goulding 87; J. Teasdale b Jones 19; A. Paton c Balkwill b Oswald 11; R. Bergstrand b Jones 10; B. Duncan not out 19; J. Greenwood not out 5. Extras 20. Total 232-5.

Bowling: A. Prabandhika 4-0-29-0; M. Scattergood 7.4-1-36-0; M. Oswald 7.2-0-27-1; A. Goulding 12-0-63-1; A. Jones 11-1-57-3.

NEWTON: A. Jones c Greenwood b Duncan 7; M. Scattergood b Duncan 17; J. Balkwill lbw b Robinson 25; H. Clarke b Duncan 2; A. Jeffery lbw b Paton 13; S. Wood b Robinson 11; A. Prabandhika b Robinson 0; A. Goulding b Paton 0; P. Lawrence lbw b Robinson 0; M. Oswald not out 4; S. Taylor b Duncan 0. Extras 3. Total 82ao.

Bowling: B. Duncan 9.5-2-17-4; K. Marshall 6-1-34-0; P. Robinson 9-3-18-4; A. Paton 6-2-12-2. 

W ylam 12pts, Newton 2pts

Allendale are being tipped to challenge for the title this year and they didn’t disappoint on the opening day as they thumped Matfen Hall by nine wickets.

Both teams possessed a pair of new New Zealanders but it was the duo of Ross Laidlaw and Dylan Griffin enjoying their first taste of West Tyne cricket more than Matfen’s Liam Bartholomeusz and Callum Curnow.

Allendale captain Tim Raglan put Matfen into bat first and the hosts’ bowling attack made life difficult for their visitors, removing them for 125 as all bowlers chipped in.

The reply was comfortable for Allendale as Raglan (66*) and Watson (43) steered them to victory, Laidlaw (8*) coming in to help see his new side over the line within 22 overs.

ALLENDALE v MATFEN HALL

Allendale won by nine wickets

MATFEN HALL: T. Wood c Cordell b Sunda 23; L. McWilliam c Cordell b Pringle 15; T. Scott c Griffin b Sunda 1; M. Stephens c Sunda b Watson 25; C. Curnow c Steadman b Pringle 1; E. Scott lbw b Raglan 23; A. Pearse not out 9; J. Ankers b Raglan 0; R. Colesky c&b Sparke 0; K. Withycombe b Raglan 0; A. Tiffin b Laidlaw 11. Extras 16. Total 125ao. 

Bowling: R. Laidlaw 1-14; T. Raglan 3-21; A. Sunda 2-21; L. Pringle 2-28; D. Griffin 0-10; L. Watson 1-15; G. Sparke 1-3. 

ALLENDALE: T. Raglan not out 66; L. Watson st Pearse b Withycombe 43; R. Laidlaw not out 8. Extras 9. Total 126-1. 

Bowling: A. Tiffin 0-31; C. Curnow 0-15; L. McWilliam 0-12; R. Colesky 0-27; T. Scott 0-8; K. Withycombe 1-15; J. Ankers 0-17. 

Allendale 12pts, Matfen Hall 4pts

Stocksfield II enjoyed a good day all round as they welcomed a reinvigorated Stamfordham , finishing the day as victors by seven wickets.

Electing to bowl first, Ant Allen (4-23) justified captain Phill Bewick’s decision as he and youngster Chris Scandle (2-8) put the pressure on the away side.

The dismissal of Ian Donkin for a duck in the second over proved key, and James Watson (2-19) and new signing Ryan Chamberlain (2-0) kept up the good work to see Stamfordham out for a combined total of 55.

Stocksfield were always confident of going after the total, and a partnership of Adrian Marrison (6) and David Tyrrell (17*) secured the 12 points.

STOCKSFIELD II v STAMFORDHAM 

Stocksfield II won by seven wickets 

STAMFORDHAM: G. Halbert b Scandle 1; I. Donkin b Allen 0; A. Riaz c Marrison b Scandle 5; R. Walto b Allen 4; J. Lonsdale b Allen 19; G. Adamson c Tolchard b Allen 7; T. Sharp b Chamberlain 5; R. Gardener lbw b Watson 4; R. Gledson not out 5; M. Smith st Beedle b Chamberlain 0; A. Patterson b Watson 0. Extras 5. Total 55ao. 

Bowling: A. Allen 12-3-23-4; C. Scandle 6-4-8-2; J. Watson 7.4-1-19-2; R. Chamberlain 2-2-0-2. 

STOCKSFIELD II: P. Bewick b Lonsdale 4; A. Marrison lbw b Lonsdale 6; D. Tyrrell not out 17; S. Beedle c Sharp b Lonsdale 7; A. Thirlwell not out 14. Extras 8. Total 56-3. 

Bowling: R. Gardener 3-0-11-0; J. Lonsdale 6-1-15-3; I. Donkin 4-0-20-0; R. Gledson 1-0-3-0; G. Adamson 0.2-0-2-0. 

Stocksfield II 12pts, Stamfordham 1pt

The Forster brothers combined to earn Humshaugh a slender 17 run victory against newly promoted Newcastle III .

The newcomers were looking good at 76-1 after 13 overs due to some good shot selection from Vicory (37) and Steven Dobson (31), but change bowlers Will and Rob Forster were excellent as they took 9-44 between them.

Rob impressed most with 6-22, with sibling Will also excelling with 3-22.

The 124 set by Humshaugh looked in doubt, but a good partnership between Rob Forster (40) and captain Andy Crawford (20) proved key, as did some good hitting by young Owen Murtough (24) later in the order.

HUMSHAUGH v NEWCASTLE III 

Humshaugh won by 17 runs 

HUMSHAUGH: A. Murray c&b Poll 2; M. Williamson b Brown 11; R. Forster st Eagleton b Roberts 40; S. Turner c Roberts b Poll 0; A. Crawford b Kent 20; O. Murtough st Eagleton b Kent 24; W. Forster c Vicory b Roberts 2; S. Arnup b Kent 7; D. Sewell b Roberts 13; C. Binovec c Dobson b Kent 4; M. Arnup not out 0. Extras 1. Total 124ao. 

Bowling: M. Brown 12-5-18-1; A. Poll 9-3-17-2; S. Kent 10.5-0-39-4; T. Roberts 8-0-49-3. 

NEWCASTLE III: A. Vicory b W. Forster 37; E. Owen b Williamson 7; S. Dobson b W. Forster 31; A. Hagemann lbw b R. Forster 0; M. Brown b R. Forster 0; A. Poll lbw b R. Forster 5; R. Eagleton b W. Forster 5; J. Sinclair b R. Forster 5; P. Gupta not out 3; T. Roberts b R. Forster 0; S. Kent b R. Forster 0. Extras 15. Total 107ao. 

Bowling: M. Williamson 6-2-28-1; A. Crawford 4-0-24-0; R. Forster 9.3-2-22-6; W. Forster 8-3-22-3. 

Humshaugh 12pts, Newcastle III 5pts

Benwell Hill III got off to winning ways in a close game with Haydon Bridge , their total of 119 enough to see them to a 26 run triumph.

David Ladd (40) set a good platform for Hill as they opened the batting, but it wasn’t until he was joined by number seven Andy Dawson (29) before he had a teammate helping him out.

Last season’s best bowler Jamie Taylor (4-29) again kept things tight, while Graham Gradwell (3-17) was in the wickets too.

Bridge lost wickets cheaply throughout their reply as only Neil Kendrew (42) made any sort of mark, bowled out for a total of 93.

BENWELL HILL III v HAYDON BRIDGE 

Benwell Hill III won by 26 runs 

BENWELL HILL III: D. Ladd b Taylor 40; S. Shinwari b Taylor 0; D. Hunter c Welton b Taylor 10; D. Thiranga b Gradwell 5; A. Rahman c Kendrrew b Gradwell 0; J. Torre b Gradwell 0; A. Dawson c Stephenson b Waugh 29; S. Rushton not out 14; D. Archbold b Taylor 4; C. Pounder not out 1. Extras 16. Total 119-8. 

Bowling: J. Taylor 12-4-29-4; T. Waugh 12-2-33-1; G. Gradwell 9-4-17-3; L. Stephenson 2-0-10-0; G. Boyd 5-1-17-0; I. Watson 2-0-5-0. 

HAYDON BRIDGE: C. Welton b Thiranga 7; N. Kendrew b Torre 42; I. Watson b Thiranga 1; R. Gibson lbw b Thiranga 8; M. Elliott lbw b Thiranga 0; L. Stephenson b Torre 2; J. Taylor c Dawson b Torre 5; G. Pigg not out 4; G. Gradwell b Torre 0; T. Waugh b Thiranga 11; G. Boyd b Torre 1. Extras 12. Total 93ao. 

Bowling: D. Thiranga 12-5-20-5; S. Shinwari 4-1-30-0; J. Torre 7.3-1-33-5. 

Benwell Hill III 12pts, Haydon Bridge 4pts