Kimblesworth made no mistakes when they entertained Hylton, bowling the visitors out for 153 with three wickets apiece for Stephen Meek and Nigel Darling. Things would have been a whole lot worse for the visitors but for Chris Allan’s belligerent 70, which was peppered with seven fours and four sixes.

Kimbles then romped home by nine wickets with Meek collecting an unbeaten half-century.

But Paul Craig will be kicking himself after holing out on 98 going for the winning hit.

Evenwood put a major dent in Crook’s title hopes as they pulled off a 57-run away win, Mattie McConnell their hero with a six-wicket salvo.

Langley Park eased their own relegation worries at the expense of Brandon, and this despite Stephen Ball’s century for the losers. Park had their very own centurion in Anthony Dinsdale, who set up the seven-wicket success.

The title race in the 3D Durham Coast League was also thrown wide open with season-long leaders Castle Eden beaten for the first time.

An opening 66 from Davey Hanson was a solid foundation for Castle to build on, and when they topped 200 in their home game against Washington, it looked like business as usual.

But a real team effort from the visitors was to win the day, Ryan Nicholson and Mark Lee each scoring 36, with vital late contributions from Stephen Cuthbertson (30no), Phil Hooper (25) and Andrew Ebdale (24no) proving Castle’s undoing.

The one bright spot in the day for Castle was that their championship rivals, Ryhope and Bill Quay, slugged each other to a standstill in a not unexpected draw that meant Castle still retained the lead, but only by six points over the now very threatening Washington.

In the day’s other games, Boldon CA were inspired by Lee Jackson (74no) and Karl Bellerby (5-18) to a comfortable win over Peterlee, and Seaham Park sampled defeat at the hands of Easington with John Sample (45no and 3-46) the all-round star of the show.