DAVID Newton marked his return to Tynedale’s first team with a superb spell of medium paced seam bowling.

After a year with the seconds, Newton answered the call to help out at the firsts and he guided Tyne to an opening day victory as his bowling opened up the hear of Ponteland’s middle order.

Taking five wickets for just 22 runs, he made his presence felt without and was the main reason Ponteland slumped to 56-7 midway through their innings.

The game was also notable for the performance of 14-year-old wicketkeeper Oliver Fletcher in his first senior appearance for the club, making three catches and then keeping his head with the bat to help steer his side over the line.

On a bowling friendly wicket, Tynedale skipper Tom Cant elected to field first and they enjoyed immediate rewards when teenager Matthew Percival had Stuart Taylor caught behind by Fletcher.

The Tyne teens combined again soon after when professional Hassan Raza slashed at the ball, Percival’s two wickets costing him just seven runs each.

With Newton coming on and turning the screw, Ponteland were struggling and were in real danger at 72-9. A late flurry came when Iftikhar Fazal took a liking to Cant’s bowling, hitting him for three fours and a six inside three overs. Cant did enjoy some success as he took a return catch to remove captain Jonathan Appleby and then removed Jonny Mole, caught by Dale Leadbitter.

In reply, four of Tynedale’s top five batsmen reached double figures with Sam Mannion striking a sumptuous drive through extra cover for four in the first over before settling in to an innings of 22 which lasted little over an hour.

Jamie Crichton was the first to go, with Cant following to an lbw decision and Mannion mishitting a shot to David Waters. James Rainford then tried to cut a ball but was caught behind to give John Gardner his third wicket.

A middle order collapse saw juniors Euan Stephenson, Leadbitter and Josh Renton all caught out trying to hit over the top, but debutant Fletcher kept his cool and a crunching pull shot for four took Tyne to within 10 runs of victory.

While he departed soon after, his patient spell of 71 minutes at the crease allowed brothers David and Paul Newton, himself returning to first team action a year after re-signing from Hexham Leazes, to close the game.

And it was fitting that man of the match David should hit the winning run, glancing the ball to fine leg for the game deciding single in the 41st over to see Tynedale start with a maximum points victory.