Double the delight as both Matfen sides enjoy wins

In Division One, Matfen 1st XI took full advantage of batting first by posting a massive total of 353-5 from the allotted 50 overs at home to Blaydon.

The main contributors were opener Ananth Jegadeesh (122 from 110 balls including 22 boundaries and 2 sixes), Kuldeep Gehi (59) and Abubakar Maqsood (58 not out), with Jegadeesh and Gehi adding 134 for the second wicket.

Maqsood then rounded off a great afternoon's work with figures of 6-33 off 9 overs as Blaydon were dismissed for 166 in the 39th over.

The victory extended the gap between Matfen and second bottom Blaydon to 58pts with six games to play.

In Division Five West, Matfen 2nd XI remain in contention for promotion after winning by four wickets in a low-scoring encounter at Humshaugh.

The hosts found runs hard to come by and were eventually all out for 100 in the 39th over.

All five bowlers were among the wickets with the pick being Dan Patterson (3-25 off 6 overs), while there were braces for Tony Gilchrist, Ian Pilkington and Lizzie Scott.

In reply, Matfen were indebted to No.3 Andrew Payne (24) and No.6 Eddie Scott (28) as the target was reached in the 34th over.

Also in Division One, Ponteland won by 200 runs at home to Stocksfield. Batting first, more than half of Ponteland's total of 289-5 came from Jonathan Appleby (107 not out from 113 balls) and Shahid Khan (66), with the pair adding 126 for the third wicket.

Stocksfield were then dismissed for only 89 in 21 overs with most of the damage done by David Waters (5-36 off 11 overs).

In Division Two, Corbridge suffered a surprise defeat at Bedlington, but still moved up to second place in the table after promotion rivals GEMS were deducted 50pts.

Chris Fowler (29) top-scored for Corbridge who slipped from 101-7 to 113 all out in 34.1 overs. In reply, No.4 Kevin Harnett (38 not out) held the Bedlington innings together and saw them across the line off the first ball of the 36th over with three wickets in hand. Corey Dover and Conor Garrett-Jowsey both picked up three wickets for the visitors.

In Division Three, more than 520 runs were scored in the local derby between hosts Hexham Leazes and Allendale.

After winning the toss, solid batting from the top order of John Welch (38), Ben Litchfield (54), Geoff Sparke (66) and Jake Reed (50) enabled Allendale to post a challenging total of 259-8 from the allotted 50 overs.

The pick of the Leazes bowlers was Ben Teasdale (5-37 off 9 overs).

The hosts then cruised to victory in the 39th over with five wickets in hand.

Their batting stars were No.6 Ross Davies (100 not out from only 69 balls including 13 boundaries and 5 sixes), Lucas Holmes (69) and Billy Kingman (43).

In Division Five West, leaders United Stars 1st XI won by 151 runs at Wark against Benwell Hill 3rd XI after posting a total of 279-7 from the allotted 40 overs in which openers Shahrukh Knan (76) and Pradeep Kumar Nair (74) led the way.

In reply, Naveed Safi (30) and Ibrahim Ahmed (35) offered most resistance for Benwell Hill who were dismissed for 128 in the 32nd over with most of the damage done by Jawad Saleem (6-19 off 8 overs).

Wylam 1st XI scraped home by eight runs in an exciting finish at home to Ryton 2nd XI.

Wylam's top-scorer was No.6 Ross Wilson (68) who helped them recover from 58-5 to reach 178 all out.

In reply, Ryton were well placed for victory on 159-7 before collapsing to 170 all out in the 37th over. All five bowlers were among the wickets with most success enjoyed by Andy Paton (3-36 off 9 overs).

After being dismissed for a paltry 29 at Newton the previous week, Greenside 2nd XI bounced back in style with a season's best total of 260-5 at home to Stamfordham 1st XI.

The main contributors were opener Paul Reed (79), Liam Haney (55), Connor Ward (49) and Lee Murray (48 not out).

Adam Riley (38) and Alex Meadows (36) then top-scored for the visitors, who were dismissed for 180 in the 34th over.

Newton followed up their one-sided win against Greenside with another comfortable victory at Blaydon.

Newton were indebted to M Wainwright (53), Tiger Roberts (40) and Ian Greensit (41 not out) as they reached 220-5 from the allotted 40 overs.

Blaydon were then all out for 106 with only No.3 Thomas Bullerwell (50) preventing an even earlier finish.

The wickets were shared between Andrew Goulding (4-31 off 7.1 overs), Brian Taylor (2), Andrew Jones (2) and J.Lamb (2).

Riding Mill won by 27 runs at fellow promotion contenders Haltwhistle.

Almost half of Riding Mill's total of 157-7 came from Nick Rodger (39 not out) and 34 extras, with the pick of the home bowlers being Stephen Marsh (3-18 off 9 overs).

Haltwhistle opener Neil Kendrew (59) held their reply together before he became the eighth wicket to fall with the score on 112.

They were eventually all out for 130 in the 36th over, with the bulk of the wickets taken by Andy Watson (3), Michael Collins (2), Rory Young (2) and Kiel Zurawlew (2).

In Division Six West, leaders Gosforth Strikers won by eight wickets at Newbrough with almost seven overs to spare.

After scoring a century in midweek against Medomsley, Bertie Spence (90) was again top-scorer for Newbrough in their total of 193-5 from the allotted 40 overs.

In reply, the leaders coasted to victory after Thomas Eapen (115 from 102 balls including 16 boundaries and 3 sixes) and Popson Abraham (46) had shared an opening stand of 158.

Corbridge opener David Smurthwaite (56) top-scored in their 56-run win at home to Hexham Leazes, while Richard Opie (36 not out and 3-18 off 7 overs) starred in Wylam's eight wicket win at Stocksfield.

Mark Davison (94 not out) and opener Dave Reay (40) were the main contributors in Riding Mill's total of 209-4 at home to Allendale who were then all out for 178 in the final over, with the wickets shared between Matthew Hunter (4-25 off 8 overs), Becca Emery (2), James Brown (2) and Brian Watson (2).

Clara Vale won by five wickets at home to Haltwhistle after dismissing the visitors for 60 in the 28th over, with most of the damage done by Bhupendra Baghal (6-13 off 6 overs).

In Division One of the North East Premier League, Tynedale lost by 75 runs at promotion-chasing Gateshead Fell.

Put in to bat after losing the toss, the hosts recovered well from 95-6 to close on 204-8 declared after 57 overs, with a crucial seventh wicket stand of 75 between Charlie Franklin (75) and Thomas Pinkney (18) making the difference.

In reply, a flurry of early wickets left Tynedale on 13-4 then 35-6 before being dismissed for 129 in the 40th over.

The pick of Gateshead Fell's bowlers was William Angus (5-51 off 14 overs).

In Division Two, Tynedale 2nd XI moved up to seventh in the table with a winning draw at Priors Flat against their Gateshead Fell counterparts who drop into the relegation places. Tynedale No.3 Matthew Platts (86) and No.5 Craig Barber (85) added 144 for the fourth wicket before their side collapsed from 211-5 to 229 all out in the 54th over.

In reply, opener Richard Smith (83) and No.5 Marcus North added 114 for Gateshead Fell's fourth wicket before a late flurry of wickets saw them slump from 204-6 to 209-9, but they managed to hold on for a draw. Most of the damage was done by Seth Robbie (5-44 off 13 overs).