SUCCESSIVE half centuries from James Rainford didn’t prevent Tynedale being undone twice by Swalwell in the space of three days.

In league action on Saturday, Tynedale were always off the pace once Swalwell had amassed a score of 302.

And on Monday they were dumped out of the Horner Cup, although this time the match went right down to the wire.

A much improved batting display was in evidence in the league encounter.

An impressive 98-run partnership between Jamie Crichton and James Rainford was the thread that held Tynedale together and the team took home a fair chunk of the points at stake.

The knots at each end of the thread, which kept the whole thing tight and balanced were Sam Mannion scoring 58 not out and a bowling performance which limited the home team to 302 when a higher total seemed possible.

Connor Fellowes opened with Crichton and went on the attack scoring 16, before being bowled in the fourth over.

Tommy Cant came and went when he received Guy Saxton’s best ball of the match – a zipping ball which got some bounce and had him cramped on his crease. He edged behind to the keeper.

Immediately, new batsman Rainford drove straight for four. Tynedale’s 50 popped up in the 11th over. Then, came their 100 in the 20th. Crichton had been all patience and placement. He square cut perfectly between point and gully, straight drove along the ground and in the air, all for fours.

Rainford, again, showed how dynamic he is as a batsman, this time hitting through the legside for runs. Time and again the ball didn’t get to the boundary but the running between wickets was exceptional.

By the 26th over, 179 runs were needed to win. Would Tynedale go for a win? Rainford reached 50 but was then bowled in the 31st over by Saxton.

It was time to take stock. Crichton was comfortable in the 60s, but new batsman was Mannion was struggling to find rhythm.

Mannion hit out, pulling down to deep backward square; Crichton did the same at the other end. Then, in a change of tempo, the touch and run game returned. Every run for Tynedale, up to a score of 200, was earned the hard way.

Crichton crept into the 90s. On 93 he called for two, the ball down behind point. Mannion sent him back and he was run out.

Mannion went on to make 58 of 76 balls, including three fours in one over from Saxton. He made sure Swalwell stayed out there until after 8pm.

In the first innings of the match, Swalwell had 104 on the board before their first wicket fell in the 22nd over

When Chris Hewison went with score at 221, he had batted for 154 minutes for his 121, faced 132 balls and scored 10 fours and two sixes, and set his side on course for a formidable total.

Tynedale dropped a place to seventh in the league, with Swalwell secure in fourth.

Swalwell were in Hexham on Monday night for the Horner Cup tie, which saw the home team go down to the last over, falling just four runs short in their chase.

Set a target of 162 in 20 overs, Cant and Rainford carried the innings for Tynedale until Cant was caught behind for 49, in the 16th over with the score at 131.

Then, Rainford, with the score at 133, in the following over and, having just hit three fours in the previous over but one, went high but not far enough with a shot straight down the ground. He was caught at long-on for 71, his second 50 in successive innings.

Their partnership was worth 115 runs, made in 40 minutes of thoughtful batting.

Eleven runs were needed from the last over; six from the last ball. Josh Renton and Fellowes pushed the score that far, but couldn’t quite finish the job.

On Saturday, Tynedale will focus on establishing a place in the top half of the league when they host Ponteland.

The second eleven plays the reverse fixture.