TYNEDALE smashed open the Division One title race as they stopped leaders Lanchester in their tracks.

The visitors from Hexham reignited their hopes of clinching the championship as they moved to within nine points of their hosts, courtesy of a two wicket victory.

Skipper Tom Cant and Dan Parker batted the team to victory which puts them in third spot with four games remaining.

Putting their opponents into bat first on a wet wicket, Tyne didn’t have it all their own way and Kieran Gohery proved stubborn as he came in at number three following the early dismissal of opener Graham Brinton.

Marc Ramshaw and Callum Barnes had provided useful knocks along the way, but the removal of former Tynedale man Barnes to a catch by Cant off the bowling of Josh Renton proved a pivotal moment.

From 159-4, Lanchester ended their 45 overs on 194 with Renton dismissing Bryan Potts and Daniel Storey after Joshua Shuard had clean bowled Kieran Taylor.

Cant and Parker were in fine form as they opened for Tynedale, the former adding 12 fours and a six to his final total and Parker hitting the boundary five times before falling short of his 50.

They put on an opening partnership of 145, but Parker quickly followed Cant back into the pavilion to leave the away side on 149-2.

Sam Mannion’s knock of 32 proved crucial as he moved this side to within five runs of victory, but his removal started a collapse with Shuard, Renton, James Rainford and Matthew Scott falling with just the latter making any contribution. It was over to youngster Edward Foreman to hit the winning four from the first ball he faced to see Tynedale over the line with just nine balls of the game remaining.

Stocksfield enjoyed their own dramatic victory as they put some breathing space between themselves and ninth placed Percy Main.

Requiring 15 runs with just one wicket remaining, Andy Wood, aided by Matthew Tobin, batted them to success.

Percy Main were put into bat and made 144 with useful partnerships developing along the way, particularly through Philip Cramman and Michael Phillips.

They were brought into the middle after four wickets from Wood to leave Main on 60-4, with Wood then removing Phillips at 98-5.

Ryan Chamberlain took the big wicket of Cramman and the returning James Tolchard finished things off with the remaining four wickets.

After losing captain Steven Henderson early in the chase, Ben Archer accelerated the score for Stocksfield before falling for a quickfire 27.

The visitors looked in real trouble at 89-8, but a 41-run partnership between Wood and Tolchard put them back on track, before Wood guided them home in the 46th over.

A poor batting display saw Corbridge suffer a shock defeat at struggling Whitley Bay in Division Three.

They managed just 92 from their reply, falling short of second bottom Bay’s total of 114.

Whitley Bay struggled for runs early on with teenager Corey Dover and his father Andrew posing questions, but a knock of 21 from opener Philip Morse helped them to 44-3.

Useful mid-order knocks from Craig Sample, Chirag Patel, Graham Ord and Chris Wrigley helped the hosts to triple figures. The early loss of Ross Atkinson and Nathan Shoesmith, either side of the hard hitting Chris Fowler, for Corbridge was remedied by David Cook and Marcus Sewell.

But things quickly went downhill after Cook’s removal with the away side going from 86-7 to 92 all out.

Tim Raglan and Tom Scott were again the stand-out performers for Allendale as they picked up the points on their travels to Swalwell II.

While their teammates struggled for runs, opener Raglan made 62 from 65 deliveries by including three fours and two maximums, while teenager Scott’s total of 75 came from 56 balls and included five fours.

They finished their reduced amount of 40 overs on 176, and that proved out of reach of hosts Swalwell.

With Scott claiming three wickets, as did Liam Pringle, the home side were able to record 162 in their chase. Swalwell desperately tried to up the run rate but Laura Pearson and Howard Kelly fell to run outs in their pursuit.

In Division Five South, Tynedale II were unable to restrict visitors Lanchester II.

Despite Adam Newton, Nathan Byerley and Ben Cuthbertson weighing in with wickets, Lanchester made 183 before the overs ran dry.

Ben Griffiths lead the charge for Tynedale and, although he was assisted by Richard Brooks and David Holt, it was not to be for Tynedale with Charlie McPhail and Nav Ahmed, claiming eight wickets between them, seeing the home side all out 66 runs shy of their target.