Darlington Building Society NYSD ECB Premier League

BATTLING Seaton Carew could pull themselves off the bottom of the league for the first time this season if they can continue their magical escape from relegation this afternoon at Feethams.

Their third victory in five games on Saturday, which just about destroyed Stokesley’s hopes of winning the championship, took them to within nine points of safety and they now meet a Darlington side not at its best after losing three times in the last five games.

Seaton’s Houdini style change of fortune came at the same time as fellow strugglers, Marton and Redcar, failed to move away from the other bottom places with Marton losing heavily at Barnard Castle who were happy to see Richmondshire’s lead over them cut to eight points by virtue of being held to a draw at Marske.

Seaton, who at one stage in mid-season were more than 50 points behind their closest opponents, came to within four of moving off the foot of the league table when the home fans cheered them to their biggest victory – by nine wickets against Stokesley, who had been expected to complete a double.

Stokesley struggled to 168-5 after brothers, Andrew, Jonny and James Weighell, along with Jack Craig, all went comparatively cheaply and Shrikant Wagh (45) became top scorer. Sanjaya Rodrigo (82) and Paul Braithwaite (56) shared an unbroken second wicket partnership of 129 for Seaton to make the win possible.

Great Ayton moved into third place, 23 points from the top, after beating Darlington by 88 runs with

just two balls to spare. Steve Lethbridge, who had defied the villagers along with Lee Craggs for

seven overs, was out leg before wicket from the fourth ball of the game’s final over. Jack Vickerman

(33) was their top scorer as Lewis Harper (5-21) tore through the best of the rest of their batting in a

17 over spell which included eight maidens.

Ayton posted 228-6 with Josh Thompson, who earlier in the season suffered three successive matches without scoring, hit a magnificent century and Whalid Ghauri made 51 in a partnership worth 115 runs. Thompson’s undefeated 102 came from 111 balls and included nine fours and three sixes.

Richmondshire came close to beating Marske, who lost two wickets in the last three overs before the final batting pair saw out the last six balls. The Dalesmen totalled 197-8 with Toby Bulcock hitting 48 from 37 balls in a stand worth 45 for the seventh wicket. Mike Fleming (35 from 47 balls) attacked from the start before Lee Hodgson took four wickets cheaply. He then made 56 out of their reply of 149-9. Craig Marshall (4-50) and Bulcock (3-43) almost got Richmond over the line but Marske stuck out for eight of the 22 shared points.

Second-placed Barnard Castle romped to a 70-run win over Marton, who dropped to second from bottom despite a tremendous return of 7-27 by Sri Lankan pro, Hasantha Fernando. Josh Mason made 51 of Barney’s total of 146 in just 40 overs before Josh Bousfield bagged 5-37 as Marton stumbled to 76 all out in 34.4 overs. Second team leg spinner Richard Watson, with two wickets for one run, made an impressive debut.

Middlesbrough moved from seventh to fourth place with victory over Normanby Hall, who continue to struggle in the bottom five. Third teamer, Jack Whittle, who is just 17, made an unbeaten 63 in Boro’s 181-8, hitting six fours and a six, while Normanby got to within 15 runs of victory before they perished on 167 after Shahid Khan top scored on 48. Steve Reeves (3-40) kept Boro on top.

Hartlepool moved into fifth place with a seven wicket triumph over Guisborough for whom Martin Hood made 77 out of 168 with Shani Dissanayake (5-61) and Mike Yuill (3-48) on top form. Jon Rickard was unbeaten on 88 from 98 balls as Pool recovered from 28-2 to reached 169-3 in the 38th over.

Just four runs separated Norton and Redcar in a nail biting finish which saw the Seasiders move five points clear of the relegation zone. Callum Brown (71) and Tyler Easton (59) saw Redcar to 209-6 before the Symington’s, Craig (96) and Mark (70), responded superbly. Craig was out in the last over when Norton needed nine runs to win and managed just four. They shared 24 points.

In Division One, Whitby continue as leaders, but Bishop Auckland are now second, 15 points behind after their seventh win in eight games.