Harbour knocked off their perch (From Durham Times)

Harbour knocked off their perch

8:00am Monday 1st August 2011 in Match Reports

Seaham Harbour were toppled from the summit as the challenge of championship outsiders Washington stirred things up.

But the new favourites remain close at hand, geographically, as the much-fancied Seaham Park, one of the Harbour's greatest rivals, took over the leadership for the first time.

Harbour lost their four-point advantage when they were held to a draw following an untimely defeat the previous weekend at the hands of champions Boldon CA.

This time Washington contributed to their fall from grace after Darren Hickey's top-scoring 66 put them in the driving seat with a challenging total of 155, despite excellent bowling by Anthony Watson (4-50) and Neville Gustard (3-30).

Harbour took up the challenge, but with Hickey coming good with the ball, they were 12 runs short of victory with two wickets in hand when time was called.

Darren Hickey (3-28) and 15-year-old son, Adam (3-12), stopped the Harbour gaining the win which would have kept them as leaders.

New pacemakers Seaham Park snuffed out the challenge of Bill Quay, one of the outsiders in the title race, with an impressive 65-run victory as Anthony Laidler's unbeaten 68 put them in control.

Then Alex Ludlow (3-18) shared the bowling honours with Alistair Watson (4-44), and even though Berwick Hall, with 44 runs and three wickets, put up a fighting display for the Quay, his efforts were not enough.

Boldon moved above the deposed Harbour into second place, and they're now eight points behind the new leaders.

They chalked up a second successive victory when they skittled Silksworth for 102 with Ian Male taking five wickets from ten balls without conceding a run, including a hat-trick, in a game they won by 98 runs.

Boldon's Jason Jones (49), Gary Hewitt (42) and David Tate (41) allowed a declaration on 200-6 before Male struck with four leg-before decisions and a stumping.

Peterlee won for only the second time by beating Hylton by five wickets. An unbeaten 90 by Min Mahill sank their fourth-placed opponents who had posted 211-3, with 75 from Darren Walton and 63 not out from Lee Rushworth.

Bottom club Murton were bowled out for 69 by Easington, John Sample taking 8-23. Earlier, Brian Fenwick had hit 69 as Easington accumulated 176 before they were all out.