THE great British summer added another soggy chapter to its 2011 story as yet again cricket leagues around the region were decimated by the weather.
In what is becoming an all too familiar tale the NEPL, Durham Senior and NTSL programmes were completely sunk by the torrential downpours up to the weekend.
Inevitably, it was those teams who desperately wanted to play who defeated the elements, and the two games which took place in the Durham Coast League had a significant bearing on the title race.
Boldon CA overwhelmed Peterlee to move to within three points of leaders Seaham Park, who were bogged down in a nervous draw.
Reigning champions CA rattled up 201-1 in 37.5 overs before declaring, Dave Tate hitting a glorious 105 not out including 11 fours and four sixes.
Both Andy McCord (43no) and Carl Watson (36) added to Tate’s tally, sharing ten boundaries of their own as Boldon laid down the gauntlet.
Peterlee were then dumped out for just 86, David Batty (4-12) and Tommy Nixon (3-17) ripping through them.
Meanwhile, Seaham Park just held on for a draw in an attritional home match against Ryhope, the visitors plodding to 130 in 40 overs with Lee Gilbert carrying his bat with 55.
Ali Watson (5-23) and Stuart Pattison (3-19) had seemed to set up a stroll for the Park, but spirited Ryhope bowling, led by Micky Thorpe (3-30), meant a late backs-to-the-wall job was required as the leaders slipped from 117-7 to 117-9.
Skipper Mike McNicholas joined opener Dave Hanson (40no) to survive the final five balls and secure the vital extra points which could well prove crucial in the final analysis.
Esh Winning started the day needing just one more victory to secure the Durham County League title, but they will have to wait until later today to see if they can wrap things up after their only challengers, Brandon, defied the elements to reduce the gap between themselves and the leaders to seven points.
With Brandon having lost a formidable lead in the table earlier in the season, primarily due to bad luck with the weather, they were perhaps due a change of fortune.
They took full advantage of being involved in the only match to get a start when they walloped bottom club Shildon by seven wickets in a truncated 25-overs per side contest.
Scott Nattrass shunted the Railwaymen aside in six superb overs, during which he bagged a return of 5-20.
With Stephen Ball (2-9) and Sean Barker (2-4) providing great support, Shildon were shot out for just 69 in 22.3 overs.
Ball then bounced Shildon to defeat inside 15 overs, cracking eight fours in a rapid 44 as Brandon took the title race into the final round.
The Bomarsund bubble worked a treat in keeping their pitch fit for play, but it did not stop Bates Cottages raining on their parade in the only Northumberland League Premier Division game to start.
Bomar struggled through 26.3 overs in totaling just 89, Gary Bell (25) and Shaun Hudson (24no) the only batsmen making any headway against the Cottagers’ attack in which Gary Dennis (3-30 in 8 overs) and David Cragg (3-17 in 7.3 overs) shone.
Ross Sample then hit five fours and a six in an unbeaten 37 to steer Bates to an eight-wicket victory in only 22 overs.
The win takes them well clear of the danger zone while leaving their beaten opponents staring into the relegation abyss.
In Division One, Blyth virtually assured themselves of the title with an eight-wicket victory over Ulgham.
CHRIS WEST
