Durham Leagues

Apr 28 2008 by Chris West, The Journal

Only two sides managed to gain first-day victories as the Warmseal Durham Senior League programme got underway on Saturday.

The game of the day took place at Durham where Eppleton squeezed to the tightest of victories over their hosts.

Carl Watson hit a 55 that held his team together as Colin Myers (4-37) and Brian Stone (3-4) held the upper hand.

With only 132 to defend the visiting bowlers needed to be on song, and they were to earn Eppleton a six-run success. Felling opened up with an emphatic win over Marsden. Youngster Chris Goudie played with great maturity – his opening half century taking his side to 136. It still needed a top bowling performance to secure success, and skipper Chris Pleasants ripped through the home line-up to finish with 8-26.

Last year’s wooden spoonists Seaham Harbour put on a decent performance at home to Boldon and were well worth their take of the spoils. Harbour posted 175 and Chris Ellison (54) and Geoff Houmark (43) looked to be setting up victory but John Leslie (3-49) bowled well on his debut and Boldon closed with six wickets down. Elsewhere Horden’s Adrian Hedley starred with 84 as his team posted the highest score of the day at South Hetton who were able to eke out a draw as skipper Sean Bradbury made 60.

Sean Birbeck’s unbeaten 73 ensured Whitburn’s opening-day hopes were thwarted as Hetton Lyons secured a dour stalemate, and champions Burnmoor were also held by visitors Philadelphia .

In the 3D Durham Coast League Murton got their 2008 campaign to a winning start at Silksworth . Mark Forster and Phil Middlemass claimed all 10 Murton wickets between them with only Tom Raine (43) showing prolonged resilience in a total of 131. But Joe Dodd and Calvin Stephenson cut the home team apart.

The first century of the season was posted by John Spellman junior. His classy 118 saw Castle Eden reach a mammoth 252-7, to which Bill Quay replied with 106-6 as they clung on to a share of the spoils. Washington and Ryhope were locked in a similar stalemate, the home team’s 208 featuring a splendid 88 from Lee Gilbert before he went on grab four wickets. Stephen Wright chipped in with 3-28, but Ryhope held on stubbornly with eight down.

For Peterlee it could be another long hard season. Despite some new faces they posted just 49 against the Dawdon attack in which David Coates excelled with 4-8. The visitors then cantered to a nine-wicket win.

David Tarn made an undefeated century as Easington posted 176, but skipper Gary Critchley (70no) and Jason Jones (52no) guided Boldon CA to a seven-wicket win.