Aldbrough St John take advantage of others’ inactivity

2:52pm Friday 9th May 2008

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Newroc Homes Darlington & District League

WITH only three games in Division A surviving the ravages of the weather in the Newroc Homes Darlington and District League, Ingleton and Aldbrough St John were able to take full advantage of others' inactivity and forge ahead at the top of the fledgling league table.

But their wins came in vastly differing ways, Aldbrough overpowering their hapless victims, but Ingleton scraping home by the skin of their teeth.

The new leaders couldn't have expected such a close run thing when bowling out visitors Cockerton for just 102, with veteran Chris Dent proving that age shall not weary them as he claimed five victims, including key run maker Paul Dickinson (40).

Grant Sowerby (4-28) was Dent's powerful ally in the bowling stakes.

The home team struggled throughout their chase as David Glew (4-19) and Graham Bates (3-20) held the upper hand, and it took a match-winning flourish from number ten John Boocock, who made a priceless 22 not out, to ease Ingleton to victory by the narrowest of margins, Dent stoic on 0 not out.

No such traumas for Aldbrough St John, as they dominated their game at Rockliffe Park.

Mike Priestley (67no), David Mathias (44) and Rory Wood (37) were all in free-flowing form as Aldbrough posted a useful looking 164-5 on a slow surface. And then Mathias applied the coup de grace with a spell of 5-16, Jack Stapleton (2-20) and John Hoyle (2-20) gratefully picking up the late order crumbs as Park hit the rocks for just 57.

Over at Eryholme, the demon donkey-dropper was at it again as he dismantled Spennithorne to prove massively influential in securing his side's first victory since promotion to the top flight.

The visitors just had no answer to Charlie Walker's guile - or perhaps that should be had no patience - as they tried to launch him into the next parish with a singular lack of success, all his seven wickets coming courtesy of catches.

Ian Hunter (3-43) struck some key early blows before Walker bamboozled the opposition to finish with 7-42. It was then over to Marcus Clark (35no) and James Hornby (29) to guide Eryholme to a welcome eight-wicket success.

With the games betweenTrimdon and Barningham, Lands and Barton, and Middleton-in-Teesdale and Middleton St George unable to start because of waterlogged pitches, Ingleton head the table with 44 points, Aldbrough lie second with 42, with Spennithorne well back in third with 28.

In Division B, runs were at a premium with only three out of 12 teams breaching the hundred barrier. Early season leaders Dales came down to earth with a bump as Haughton shot them out for 37, the ensuing eight wicket win propelling them into an early pole position, Michael Lunn being chief executioner with 5-11.

Rockliffe Park II were in equally rampant mood as they disposed of Brompton-on-Swale for 69, Ben Wade doing the damage with 5-8, before Tom Dell (37no) ensured a clinical nine wicket success that took Park equal top with Haughton.