Boldon show fighting spirit (From Durham Times)

Boldon show fighting spirit

9:00am Monday 25th July 2011 in Match Reports

CHAMPIONS Boldon CA began a dramatic fightback in their bid to stop the silverware heading down the road.

They were 33 points behind Seaham Harbour and in fourth place with only five victories to their credit when the two clubs came together on Saturday.

But Boldon responded to the challenge, moving to within 12 points of the top as they bowled out the leaders for 53 after declaring their own innings on 175-9.

David Batty top scored with an unbeaten 35 after Lee Jackson's knock of 34 stopped a potential collapse for Boldon as Anthony Watson (6-27) threatened to run through the early batting.

But there was no stopping the Seaham slide when Tommy Nixon (5-28) and Carl Watson (4-20) put their oustanding skills on the line.

Seaham Park also benefitted from the Harbour's defeat, cutting the gap from 25 points to four.

They bowled out bottom club Murton for 77, with 17-year-old pace bowler Alistair Watson (7-23) earning the man-of-the-match award despite 70 from 51 balls for Stuart Pattison as Park posted 170-7.

Hylton, who slipped from third to fourth place, stayed in the championship fight despite defeat at the hands of Bill Quay, one of a trio of clubs on the fringe of the title race.

Four wickets for David Brown and three for Mark Cuskeran had Hylton struggling after a decent start to their innings and the 144 runs they managed fell short of their expectations.

They fought back to take eight Bill Quay wickets before the game was lost.

Washington's Steve Cuthbertson (75) and Ryhope's Lee Gilbert (82) took the main honours in a match which ended drawn with 14 points apiece, while there was also stalemate at Easington, where Ryan Higgins and David Tarn both hit centuries.

Tarn made exactly 100 and Higgins was unbeaten on 103 as Easington accumulated 271-5 against Silksworth. The visitors played out the overs on 191 with their last two batsmen at the wicket, skipper Paul Smailes typifying their resilience with an opening half century.

Dawdon got the better of Peterlee by ten wickets after Shoaib Akhtar ripped through their batting with a torrid 12 over spell of 6-17. Stephen Gale (47no) and Jamie Greenwood (38no) then saw their team home in 20 overs.