RICHMONDSHIRE will have to wait another six days to round off their bid for the championship while seemingly doomed Marton could win themselves an unexpected reprieve at the expense of battle-hardened Seaton Carew after a day of mixed blessings with the weather.

Meanwhile Billingham Synthonia have one foot back in the premier division after springing one of the major surprises of the season against rivals who were ahead of them in the promotion race as the summer’s penultimate games began in Division One.

Whitby had a five point advantage as the two sides went head to head, but the Synners were cock-a-hoop as they overcame the rain to take over as new leaders. They now require just 11 more points from next Saturday’s final game to return among the elite with whom they last played three seasons ago.

Great Ayton’s hopes of a last gasp bid to pip the Dalesmen for the premier silverware disappeared when their ground became waterlogged and not a single ball was bowled against Marske. Richmond managed to get in 18 overs before their match at Hartlepool was washed out and they will now need just seven more points from the coming weekend’s home encounter with Stokesley to become champions for a fourth time. If they succeed it will be their third title in four years.

Play was possible at Stokesley, and more importantly at Normanby Hall where Marton won for only the second time in 15 matches. And they moved to within a point of Seaton Carew, who did everything possible – and a bit more into the bargain - to try to complete their game at Norton before it had to be abandoned.

Seaton’s groundsman, Chandi Rodrigo, the brother of the club’s pro, drove back to their own ground to transport a mechanical water mopping machine in the hope it would stop the match being called off. But it proved to be in vain as key parts of the outfield were beyond even the mop’s saving grace.

During the 36 overs of play possible, Seaton made 144 runs for the loss of five wickets with Martin Skirving (38 not out) and David Braithwaite (28 not out) involved in a stand worth 45 runs. Sanjaya Rodrigo (38) and Matty Skirving (20) were the others in form. Norton are still not completely out of the relegation woods themselves, needing ten more points to be certain of safety.

Meanwhile Marton smashed their way to a four wicket victory at Normanby after bowling out their opponents for 151 of which Carl McGregor made a top score of 40 with four boundaries at a run-a-ball. Marton’s ‘pro’, Hasantha Fernando (4-44), and veteran Graham Shaw ( 5-63) bowled 17 overs apiece to take Normanby’s batting apart after losing the best part of two hours’ play due to the weather.

Marton were left with just 24 overs – less than half the usual number – but with Fernando (45 from 43 balls) leading the way, and the carefree hitting of Tom Urwin (31 from 26 balls) and Jonny Spillane (29 from 22 balls) also making the scoreboard hum, they managed to knock off the runs with six balls to spare. It gave them an unexpected lifeline as Redcar appear doomed after their home game became another casualty of the weather. Marton and Seaton will continue to fight for survival in the coming weekend against Ayton and Hartlepool respectively.

Barnard Castle’s visit to Stokesley finished up as an exciting ‘crash-bang-wallop’ affair with the hosts as the winners despite a splendid innings of 82 from just 61 balls from Aamer Sajjad, who ended another terrific season with 42 in boundaries - six fours and three sixes.

Stokesley were bowled out in 42 overs for 169 with Andrew Weighell (57) top scoring and Jack Craig (30) again showing how good he is in support. Simon Tennant (4-34 from 11 overs) had steady hands in Jack Robinson (2-7), James Finch (2-48) and Josh Bousfield (2-49). But the home side, who won by 26 runs, had the might of James Beaumont (3-49), Shrikant Wagh (3-33) and James Weighell (2-56) to counter Barney’s support for their hard hitting professional. They were bowled out for 143 in 23.4 overs, eight balls short of the reduced overs allocation.

Neither of the teams, currently in third and fourth positions in the league, can catch the leaders although Stokesley, who provide the final opponents for Richmond on the last day of the season, could make it uncomfortable for them.