Durham leagues preview
May 17 2008 The Journal
THERE are some mouth-watering tussles scheduled for this afternoon in the Warmseal Durham Senior League as the top four sides go head to head.
And it is a difficult decision to make as to which match takes top billing although the clash of the giants – the Whitburn versus Burnmoor match – can probably be described as the show stopper.
After slow starts, both are starting to display ominous signs of the form that took them well ahead of the rest last year.
Whitburn lie second, with Burnmoor just one point and one place further back, so the outcome of the match takes on added significance in a game neither will want to lose.
The home team welcome back Eden Elstob to the side after his recovery from injury and Craig Henderson gets his chance in the first team after making a mountain of runs for the seconds last week. Michael Smith also misses the game. Burnmoor go into the clash with an unchanged side.
Hetton Lyons and Boldon could dispute the match of the day tag as their little set-to features first versus fourth.The Lyons take an unchanged side, including run machines Shaun Birbeck and Paul Riddle, into the game.
Boldon are delighted with the impact West Indian Nelon Pascal is having on the club and with the pitches getting ever harder as the weeks pass they see his pace as being crucial to their longer term ambitions. Two five-wicket hauls in successive days last weekend would seem to emphasise the point.
Eppleton entertain South Hetton in what should also be an intriguing battle – the home team will be without the in-form David Lowther today, while the visitors expect to be unchanged. Philadelphia take on Durham City with key man Graham Hoban back to inspire his colleagues, but City will be missing Aussie professional Mark Woodhead.
Horden came down to earth with a bump last week when they were humbled by Marsden and they will be itching to get back on track in their home game with Felling for whom Simon Pyle returns. For Seaham Harbour things already look grim as they prop up the rest and they come up against a Marsden side now with a win under their belts and young all-rounder Martin Fearon back in the team.
In the Readers Durham County League Esh Winning and Shildon Railway are striding out confidently at the top of the table, each enjoying 100% records after opening their seasons with three consecutive victories. Fears Esh Winning professional Rizwan Malik could be sidelined for a number of weeks with a shoulder injury have proved unfounded and he will be back in the side for the visit of Ushaw Moor. With Stuart Hall unavailable there is just the one change for the champions. Other than the top two the Moor are the only undefeated side left so something has to give in this one – the visitors travel with a full strength line-up.
Shildon Railway take their unbeaten record to Evenwood today hugely encouraged by the impressive debut last week of their new professional Hemanth Boteju. The Sri Lankan, despite only being in the country for a short while, bagged an immediate five-wicket haul and then batted sensibly to see the team through to victory.
Kimblesworth travel to play Mainsforth today delighted to have the same side available to them that put in a record-breaking performance last week – 402 runs and over 160 apiece for Stephen Meek and Paul Craig. The pair flayed the visiting bowlers to all parts of the ground in an opening stand of 327 made in just 31 overs.
Crook entertain Langley Park where Andy O’Pray, a former Ireland Under-19s World Cup player, turns out for his first-team debut.Not to be outdone Park introduce their new professional to the league, Indian Fahman Ahmrd.
Elsewhere a shell-shocked and winless Brandon take on Tudhoe, while Willington play host to Etherley who have accumulated one point from their two games.
With leaders Ryhope sitting out today’s games in the 3D Durham Coast League second-placed Castle Eden will want to take the opportunity to grab full points from their game at Silksworth. The visitors are at full strength while Craig Nield makes his seasonal debut for the hosts. Murton got back into gear last week after stalling against Peterlee in their previous outing. They lie just one place and two points below Castle Eden and go to Bill Quay in better spirits. They, too, have an unchanged side for the trip to take on a team that finished third last season and only lost one game. Quay gained a reputation in 2007 for dogged determination not to lose but that seems to have deserted them so far in this campaign as they have already tasted defeat twice.
Boldon CA hand a league debut to youngster Stuart Smith for their match at Peterlee, while there is a seasonal first for Tony Gale for Dawdon at Washington. In the final game of the day Easington take on Seaham Park, the big loss for Park today being Alan Dick.
CHRIS WEST
