CAPTAIN Tim Raglan ripped through the Newton batting order as Allendale lived up to their tag as the team to watch.

Having strengthened during the off-season, they are being tipped for the title and, with Raglan returning career best figures of 8-4, they got off to an eye-catching start.

With the league’s top all-rounder in 2016, Ross Laidlaw, returning from New Zealand, and debutants Ben Lloyd and Charles Sale opening the batting, it was a complete performance as they thrashed Newton by a total of 239 runs.

Allendale won the toss and chose to bat on a flat wicket, with Lloyd, a new acquisition from rivals Haltwhistle, and Sale, who coincidentally lives in the Newton area, getting them off to a great start with an opening stand of 60.

Lloyd’s dismissal brought Laidlaw to the crease and he carried on where he left off, slamming his way to an opening day ton off 90 deliveries as he and Sale made 150.

The Kiwi’s fluent knock ended on 108, with Sale remaining at the crease throughout as Raglan went for a three ball duck to make way for brother Jack.

Newton’s reply lasted just eight-and-a-half overs with Tim Raglan in red hot form, the visitors’ 10 men unable to cope with his deliveries. Starting with two wickets in each of his first two overs, he then went on to clinch a hat-trick on a memorable day before finishing things off by removing Dave Archbold.

Haltwhistle enjoyed bragging rights over main rivals Haydon Bridge in a typically low scoring encounter between the teams.

The track strongly favoured the bowlers, although Bridge’s Ian Watson and Liam Stephenson batted well early in the innings. The arrival into the attack of Dan Parker and John Armstrong brought about the fall of quick wickets, with Phil Thompson also weighing in, and batting became more tricky.

Haltwhistle’s reply suffered an early setback as Parker went for a duck to a great delivery from Stephenson, with fellow opener Joe Barber falling soon after to the consistent Jamie Taylor.

The pairing of Mick Armstrong and Ryan Bell put Haltwhistle on the path to victory, with Jonny Wallace contributing too at a time when Tom Waugh was taking regular wickets. Bridge’s tails were up as they were always in the game, but John Armstrong, with the assistance of anchorman Carl Bell, geared Halty to victory.

Teenage spinner Aaron Rourke took the plaudits as reigning champions Stocksfield started their defence by claiming maximum points against Benwell Hill III .

In what was a good bowling performance, it was young Rourke who stood out as his five wickets prevented Hill reaching triple figures.

Fletcher batted well for Benwell but the order struggled with Rourke and co, with Chris Scandle and new captain Ali Thirlwell both finishing with two wickets.

Stocksfield lost three early wickets as they stuttered in their reply, Chris Patterson, James Watson and Jonny Tobin departing to leave them on 17-3. Matt Bewick chipped in with eight runs on his long awaited return from a broken leg, but it was the older heads of Graeme Tolchard and Thirlwell which tipped the game in Stocksfield’s balance.

Tolchard expertly put the bad ball away with Thirlwell unfortunate not to see the game out with the team requiring just nine runs.

Humshaugh harbour high hopes of a competitive season, and they got off to a flyer by defeating Newcastle III comprehensively by nine wickets.

Jack Garrett’s arrival from Corbridge will boost their chances, and he wasted no time in introducing himself to the league as he picked up three wickets in just six balls.

His opening bowling partner Will Forster gained the breakthrough with the removal of opener Will Vickery, with change bowlers Ed Crawford and Steven Thompson building the pressure.

Crawford picked up a wicket with his first delivery and struck a further two times, with late resistance form captain Ali Poll, Owen Thomas and Jain ensuring Newcastle at least got one batting point on the board.

Humshaugh made light work of the low target, teenager Nathan Byerley and captain Andy Crawford putting on 53 for the first wicket.

Crawford was bowled by Tiger Roberts after playing a reckless shot, with Rob Forster joining Byerley to knock off the remaining runs in the 18th over.

Matfen Hall saw off a strong challenge from Hexham Leazes to edge their way to maximum points.

Ian Pilkington, Tom Scott and New Zealander Alex Tait all looked untroubled early on with the score on 36-1, but a couple of lbws from Andrew Whitaker and three wickets from Andrew McCormick had Matfen worried on 55-6.

A seventh wicket partnership of 56 between the experienced Paul Irving and teenager Aaron Tiffin ultimately proved a match-winning one, Irving rolling back the years with some lusty hits and Tiffin showing good shot selection.

Matfen lost quick wickets to run outs as they chased extra runs in the final over.

The hosts were off to a great start when Tiffin bowled Whitaker with the second ball of the innings, with Kiwi Will O’Brien then taking a wicket with his first delivery for the club. He went on to finish with an impressive spell of 3-17, which included the big wicket of Leazes’ Andrew Webster who smashed a quick 31 to put his side in with a great chance.

The game was in the balance with the score at 75-4 but Pilkington and the returning Tiffin put the brakes on, before Kelly Withycombe played an important role with two wickets.

Scott and Tait finished things off, taking the final three wickets between them to secure the victory.

South Northumberland 1864 made a winning return to Division One as they saw off the challenge of Wylam .

Tristan Meears-White and Will Fishley were steady away before both being bowled by Wylam skipper Ben Duncan, and the arrival of Rob Bergstrand into the attack had South North troubled.

Following up a run out, he claimed four wickets, three of them for ducks, and brought an end to the innings of the dangerous Ryan Sidney Wilmot. Calum Fletcher and Nathan Gough stuck around and their late partnership pushed Northumberland beyond the 150 mark.

Wylam made a steady start to their reply courtesy of Graeme Raffell and Teasdale, with Neil Wells and Bergstrand carrying on their good work.

But South Northumberland’s bowlers got on top of the scoring and some great work late in the innings saw Wylam’s chase end 20 runs short.