The late signing of Callum Thorp by Chester-le-Street has thrown a new element into the Dukes North East Premier League title stakes, and he produced the goods on debut to upset South North’s championship ambitions.
The Bulls decided to field when winning the toss, and that looked to be a good decision as Street slid to 60 for five, but skipper John Coxon began a recovery with a half century, and then Thorp blasted 50 from 34 balls to lift the Cestrians to 208 for nine in 61.5 overs. Jonny Wightman was the most successful visiting bowler with 4-53 from 14.5 overs.
Thorp then combined with Liam Simpson to blast the Bulls batsmen, the visitors stumbling from 8 for three, to 22 for six and then 43 for eight, before finally capitulating for 64 in 27 overs. Simpson ended with figures of 4-27 from 11 overs, while Thorp bowled nine overs, five of which were maidens, to close with 3-8.
Hetton Lyons went to the top of the early table as they gathered maximum points from a 147-run thumping of Tynemouth.
Once again Allan Worthy provided a sound base for his new teammates, making 74 from 96 balls, and including 9 fours and 2 sixes in that innings. With Ryan Pringle blasting a 75-ball 82 from the number three slot the Lyons roared to 241-6 in 47 overs.
Tynemouth skipper Ben Debnam (40 from 84 balls) then fought a rearguard action after Lal Kumar (4-15) blew away the top order, but spinners Pringle (3-19) and Chris Varley (2-8) finished a very professional job as the visitors slumped to 94 all out.
Champions Stockton made it two wins from two home games as they defeated Blaydon by nine wickets.
In a much reduced game the Tynesiders looked to be doing well at 35 for one, but the run out of Craig Burke changed the mood, and with seven wickets going down for 59 runs Blaydon could only post an inadequate 94 for eight from their 29 overs. Keaton Jennings (3-20 and 48 not out) did the rest as the title-holders grabbed the win inside 18 overs.
With the games at the Emirates ICG, where the Academy were to host Whitburn, and Denton Bank, where two disappointed teams were desperate to play, failing to make a start the one remaining top flight match saw Newcastle overcome Gateshead Fell by six wickets.
Two wickets each for Ben Cant and Jacques Du Toit gave Newcastle a foothold in the game, and with Ollie McGee striking four times Fell were indebted to a battling 99-ball unbeaten innings of 49 from Adam Whatley for easing them up to a 49 over total of 138 for nine.
Two early setbacks in the run chase then only served to inspire Du Toit who cracked 11 fours and 2 sixes in a 61-ball 75 not out which rushed his team through to victory in just 30 overs.