Brandon's Sunday best (From Durham Times)

Brandon's Sunday best

1:15pm Monday 11th July 2011 in Match Reports

BRANDON could not have been in a worse place on Saturday in terms of their title ambitions as their game was the only one to suffer a washout when the thunder storms hit Marsden.

Esh Winning didn’t pass up the opportunity to slash the deficit with Yasim Murtaza outstanding as he cracked 87 and then followed up with 4- 9 to leave Shildon beaten by 82 runs.

And Willington hauled themselves back into outside contention as a century from Neil Pratt set up a 116-run win over Mainsforth.

But, by the close of play last night, Brandon had turned on their Sunday best against Mainsforth to dispel the disappointment of being caught out by the weather the previous day.

Will Bosisto and Karl Turner got them off to a great start with an opening stand of 136, to set the leaders on their way to a comprehensive 70-run victory.

Turner hit 11 fours in his 83, and with Bosisto adding five boundaries in 73 the Mainsforth bowlers were once again under the cosh.

But they stuck to their task well enough to keep the leaders in some sort of check at 256-4, Lewis Newby (37no) and Stephen Ball (35) making useful contributions.

The visitors were then immediately in trouble in their response as Scott Hopson (3- 46) made some early strikes, and with the game virtually wrapped up Brandon gave nine bowlers a run out.

Mainsforth eventually closed on 186-7 after Gary Purcell (46no) and Dan Craggs (30no) had given them a boost with an unbroken eighth wicket stand of 56.

Esh made it two wins in two days – but only just as they crept past Langley Park’s modest 137 with just a single wicket standing, the winning runs coming from four byes after the Park had them rocking on 134-9, having reduced them to a nervous ending by snapping up five wickets for 31 runs.

A half century yesterday from John Leslie, and five wickets from James Sneller, earned Marsden a 49-run win at Shildon, Willington completed a double as they defeated Evenwood by three wickets, Stephen Alderson (3- 34 and 48) starring with great support from 15 year-old Ryan Cummings (3-31), and Crook ended Tudhoe’s little run of success as Andy Burgess (34 and 5-25) shone.

With seven games to go now for the title contenders Brandon’s lead has been reduced to 24 points because of Saturday’s abandonment, with Esh Winning clinging to the hope that they can be stopped on at least a couple of occasions in the next two months. Despite their double success Willington remain outsiders with 41 points to make up on the leaders.