Dukes North East Premier League
Sep 14 2009 The Journal
ON a final day when Chester-le-Street confirmed their superiority in the Dukes NEPL, Blaydon turned in a powerful display to claim the runners-up spot.
The Cestrians headed off for their national adventures with a five-wicket win over their predecessors as champions, South Northumberland, under their belts, the victory ensuring they ended the league season unbeaten and completed the double over the once invincible Bulls.
Only Adam Craggs (45) showed any real resistance against the powerful home attack in which Luke Evans excelled with four for 29.
South North were cleaned out for 115 inside 42 overs, and although Chester didn’t have things all their own way as Richard Brooks (3-47) niggled away at them, Liam Simpson (26no) was fittingly joined by skipper Quentin Hughes to conduct the final rites of a historic campaign.
Blaydon were among the runs at Tynemouth, Graeme Bridge (nine fours in 56) and Mark Drake (nine fours in 48) headlining their innings of 249 for 9.
The home team were then bundled out in 36 overs as Craig Knox (3-31) and Martin Pollard (3-22) held sway. The victory lifted Blaydon over South North into second place.
Newcastle took no chances as they ground out a home draw against South Shields. They entered the match knowing that only an unusual combination of results would condemn them to relegation, and when the Shieldsmen racked up a massive 315 for 8 there was only one option left, and that was to adopt a risk free approach.
Western Australian Rhys May (80) and Michael Dunn (77) gave the visitors their impetus as the runs flowed freely, but James Carr carried his bat for 81, and with James Davison adding 48 against a 10-man bowling attack Newcastle closed on 206 for 3, picking up 10 points in the process to banish any residual fears of the drop.
And there were plenty of runs at Denton Bank where visitors Stockton set Benwell Hill a demanding target of 251. Tom Cant bowled admirably for the Hill, sending down 20 overs and collecting figures of three for 54, and Zohaib Khan featured again with four for 41.
Phil Nicholson then gave the home team the perfect start with an opening 62. His partnership with Richard Coughtrie (50) provided the platform for Mark Dale to show his talents with 10 fours and a six in an unbeaten 65 taking Benwell to a seven-wicket win.
Elsewhere, Gateshead Fell ended their season in style with a 17-run home win over Sunderland. Sri Lankan Geeth Alwis excelled with an undefeated 116 which propelled Fell to 221 for 5, and then Michael Dicks (5-66) and Pete Towner (4-73) undid the Wearsiders.
But there was no last day joy for Norton, as a 121-run home defeat by the Durham Academy confirmed their expected relegation fate.
CHRIS WEST
