County Durham Leagues preview

Jul 4 2009 The Journal

TEAMS in the Warmseal Durham Senior League begin the second half of their season today with the main interest revolving around the three sides who went through the first 11 games unbeaten.

And two of them meet head on in a top of the table clash, with Boldon entertaining Whitburn. Boldon, the current top dogs, are showing commendable consistency and also have the confidence a settled side tends to have – and they will be unchanged yet again this afternoon.

But Whitburn will almost be back to full strength themselves with no fewer than five key players on the starting blocks. Aussie Chris Wood and Paul Shields are both back from injury, while Paul Cook, Ross Carty and Andy Turns also return, although bowlers Tony Greaves and John Dunn are missing.

Burnmoor are hoping to launch a second-half offensive to retain their title, starting today at Felling. The champions have signed Sri Lankan bowler Ikram Abdeen for the rest of the season and he will debut, with Michael Callaghan unavailable. Jimmy Daley is back in after missing last week.

Seaham Harbour shook Eppleton a couple of nights ago when they knocked them out of the league cup at the semi-final stage. They will be trying to repeat the dose in the league fixture today when Nigel Gleghorn and Simon Weston return. Eppleton will hand new signing, left-arm spinner Adam McGuire, a debut.

Buoyant Willington have emerged as one of the major threats in the Readers Durham County League and they will start as heavy favourites at struggling Hylton today. But the visitors have delayed final selection of their team with three players missing out. Mumtaz Habib is in end-of-term university moving mode, while James Stock is on holiday and Steven Alderson injured a thigh muscle in a midweek cup tie.

Kimblesworth take a full-strength side to Langley Park where the home team have Simon Huscroft returning from injury, although his back won’t be strong enough to stand up to the rigours of bowling.

Shildon, deposed as leaders last week, face a tough home game against Ushaw Moor without the services of skipper Phil Timmens and Phil Garbutt. Moor’s the merrier for that although they, too, have Peter Maddison out with John Southeran taking his place.

In the battle of the bottom two both Etherley and Brandon are unchanged, with the home side happily surprised by that as the squad spent a heavy day at York Races when they had their free day last Saturday.

Evenwood face a tough call at Esh Winning without the services of Darren Wallace, James Alderson, Matthew McConnell and Kevin Watson, but Ian Thompson is back in the Mainsforth team for their game at Tudhoe.

Clubs in the 3D Durham Coast League begin the second half of their league season this weekend – and they do so in the shape of a double programme of fixtures that could have a major bearing on the championship race.

Washington are the form team of the moment, but they have to sit out one half of the double today when they have their free day. Their only game of the weekend is at home to Boldon CA, but last week’s star man Ryan Nicholson is on holiday. Fortunately skipper Bill Plender is back in harness.

Boldon miss Ian Bellerby today against Ryhope. Andy O’Connell therefore makes a timely return, and tomorrow new signing Brian Conlon debuts.

Leaders Castle Eden start at Seaham Park and conclude at home to Peterlee. The Castle have a full-strength squad as do Park, except for John Atkinson. The experienced Chris Hudson will provide the cover. Peterlee, on the other hand, have four key players missing for today’s home game against Dawdon, and that number increases to six tomorrow.

Bill Quay continue their quest for the title with Mattie Dench back. The third-placed side’s weekend begins with a home match against unchanged Murton, and concludes with a trip to Dawdon.

Easington are just 17 points adrift of the top spot, but they will have to cope without run machine David Tarn. However Mark Cowell returns for his team’s one game of the weekend away to Silksworth today. The Silks have a pretty tough weekend but Michael Waterson is back from his holidays for the double which concludes with a trip to Ryhope where the home side have Ian White and Andrew Docherty returning.