Matfen's defeat is huge boost to Allendale

The league leaders need just one victory from their remaining two games, closest contenders Matfen with it all do as they slipped 27 points behind.

Some ruthless bowling ensured it was Benwell claiming the points, Saeem Korum finishing with 5-6 and leg-spinner Assanka Jayaweera taking three wickets as Matfen's batsmen collapsed.

Benwell elected to bat first and were off to a steady start against some good bowling from Alex Tait and Kelly Withycombe, making their way to 91.

Max Stephens came into the attack and bowled opener David Ladd, while Withycombe took the big wicket of the aggressive Korum, which was followed up by that of Jeff Mason.

Zain Ahmed was run out but Tait and Jock McDonald couldn't add to the wickets, although Matfen did well to restrict Benwell to just 164 on a fast outfield.

Will O'Brien was an early casualty in Matfen's reply, but Tait and Mark Irving steadied the ship with 86 for the second wicket in just 14 overs.

The former made his ninth 50 from his 15 league innings, with Irving batting sensibly even if he did hit three successive fours!

Both batsmen fell with the score on 89, and the rest of a weakened line-up collapsed as only Tony Gilchrist was able to show any sort of resistance on his debut for the club.

Jayaweera was getting prodigious turn whit his leg-spin as he added McDonald and Paul Irving to the early wicket of O'Brien, but Korum stole the show as he added five wickets to his top score with the bat as he accounted for Stephens, Gilchrist, Alex Pearse, James Ritchie and Peter Armstrong.

Allendale will be confident of adding to their KO Cup trophy as they took a giant leap to the league championship by breezing to victory over struggling Newcastle III , even if they were stubbornly denied maximum points.

A first century for the first team from John Welch was the highlight during the victory, although the frontrunners made light work of the basement boys throughout.

It was 10 men against nine with Newcastle one man shorter, but Allendale suffered a big scare when they lost Jack Raglan for a duck.

Tim Raglan and Ross Laidlaw then moved the score on, but it was the arrival of Welch which geared the visitors past 200, with a cameo from John Raglan helping the score on.

Welch ran two on the final ball of the innings to ensure he reached the milestone of his maiden ton, with the help of 12 fours and three sixes.

Newcastle frustrated an Allendale attack missing key men Liam Pringle and Rory Sale, the team happy to slowly see out the overs. Tim Raglan used eight bowlers in total to try and remove eight wickets, but the inability to get all 20 points may prove insignificant following Matfen's defeat.

Humshaugh continued their great form as they made it eight wins from nine as they overcame Wylam .

A match-winning stand of 55 runs between captain Andy Crawford and Rob Forster pushed their score on, while a five wicket haul from Jack Garrett stopped their opponents short.

Wylam won the toss and elected to field, and opening bowlers Kevin Marshall and Matt Carrick started well with the latter picking up the wicket of Ed Crawford.

Scoring was hard to combe by as Nathan Byerley and Allan Murray dug in, but constant Wylam pressure saw Humshaugh limp from 79-2 to 92-5.

But the pairing of Forster and Crawford proved the difference as they made 50 inside nine overs, before Forster fell trying to heave one ot he leg side only to be calmly caught by Carrick.

Crawford continued to attack and brought up his maiden 50 for Humshaugh in the penultimate over.

Humshaugh bowlers Will Forster and Garrett never gave Wylam a sniff during excellent opening spells, Forster claiming the two important wickets of Graeme Raffell and James Teasdale.

But it was Garrett who again produced the goods in an impressive debut season, four of his five wickets were bowled with the other thanks to an incredible catch at second slip by Ed Crawford.

when Steven Thompson took the wicket of Cameron Smart, again caught by Crawford, an early finish looked on the cards with Wylam struggling on 59-8 after 19 overs.

Yet Liam Thackray and Carrick put up resistance towards the end as they frustrated Humshaugh's bowlers. that was until Byerley bowled Carrick and then trapped Marshall lbw to end the game.

A good batting performance by Stocksfield helped them to victory over Haydon Bridge .

Openers Jonny Tobin and stand-in captain Matt Bewick made their way to 91 at the drinks break, both batting well to put their side in control.

Bewick was bowled by Chris Welton who was enjoying a rare bowl straight after play resumed, with Graeme Tolchard going for a duck when lbw to Mick Cunningham also immediately.

James Watson and the aggressive Tobin ticked the score on but fell within quick succession, bringing Alex Roney and Paul Brown to the crease.

Roney was in fine form and hit two fours and a six off three consecutive balls as he powered his way to 44, well supported by Brown as Stocksfield finished on 222.

Perry Hall's tight spell saw off Ian Watson and Welton, who pushed his way to 16 off six overs, but Jamie Taylor continued his good form with the bat to give his side a chance.

He and Cunningham pushed the score past 90 at drinks, but Brown kept his nerve to deny Taylor his 50 as he peppered the boundary.

It was a big wicket and Brown and Trevor Walker built on the momentum, Brown finishing with four wickets and stalwart Walker with three.

South Northumberland 1864 have their eyes set on the runners-up spot as they recovered from two early wickets to defeat Haltwhistle .

Reeling at 1-2 after Hugo Leefe and Ben Sidney-Wilmot went for ducks, they were inspired by a fantastic century from Ru Fletcher.

Putting on 141 for the third wicket with 14-year-old Eashan Ragbir, Fletcher took the game to Haltwhistle with his great batting display.

He finally fell when he was bowled by Dan Parker, one of his four wickets as he also had Ragbir, James Ruddick and Bobby Green dismissed.

Ten-man Haltwhistle were steady away in reply but always behind the run rate, especially after the setback of losing Parker.

Scoring was hard to come by even if Carl Bell, Michael Parker and Phil Thompson tried to push the scoreboard on, Maniram Ragbir the pick of South North's bowlers.

Newton look to have secured a top half finish as they inflicted a seven wicket defeat on an understrength Hexham Leazes, who had eight players missing from their squad.

The batting of Dan Taylor and Zack Brown geared them to the 20 points, overhauling Leazes' total of 151.

Hexham's innings was held together by a great knock from wicket keeper Andrew Brown, making his first appearance since retiring at the end of last season, who contributed almost half of his team's score midway through the order.

Scoring elsewhere was pretty hard to come by, especially as Amila Prabandhika impressed with the ball.

In reply, Taylor and Brown batted their way to glory following the early departure of Michael Gardner, stumped by Brown off Harry Fitton.

Both were unable to see their time over the line as Taylor was bowled by Rachel Foreman and the Kingman brothers combined to see off Brown, Raji taking the catch off Billy's bowling.

By the time Chris Telfer and Jonathan Bennett arrived at the crease, Newton needed the slightest of nudges over the line.