Durham Cricket League: Littletown still lead the way as top four all win to keep promotion pot boiling

Ryhope opener Lee Gilbert bats against Littletown on Saturday. Picture by Kevin Brady

Littletown maintained their promotion push and title ambitions with a comprehensive away win at Ryhope.

The home side made only 104 in 32.2 overs, with Bryan Conlon (3-30) and Shashikant Kadam (5-33), doing the main damage with the ball.

Only David Gilbert (24) and Jonathan Tomlin (23) showed much resistance.

In reply, Dan Pearson, with eight boundaries in 44 not out, and Kadam, who hit four sixes in 40, eased Littletown home in 23.4 overs.

There are just two weeks to go. Littletown head to Langley Park this coming weekend, before finishing off at home to Houghton on September 10.

Whiteleas, in second place, were also comprehensive winners at home to Ushaw Moor.

Owen Peterson (56, with nine fours), Andrew Potts (33) and Nicholas Quinn (30) led Whiteleas to 187-8 declared, after 46 overs.

Ushaw then capitulated to 55 all out, with Abdul Ameer taking a breathtaking 9-15, in a fantastic spell of bowling, to win the game. The other wicket was a run-out.

Marsden maintained their push with a 22-run win over Evenwood, and remain third.

Defeat severely dented the visitors’ own promotion hopes.

Opener Christopher Mann (106) hit a fabulous century, his third of the season in the league, to set the scene, backed by John Leslie (32). Billy Teasdale (3-54) and Oliver Wilkinson (3-64) returned decent figures to keep the score down.

The visitors batted well to begin with, Luke Bannister hitting 54, while Daniel Wilkinson added 43 down the order, but Paul Snaith (3-18) and two wickets apiece from Sura Malinga and Mann, saw them all out for 176 in 48 overs

Peterlee also won well, at home to bottom club Silksworth.

They amassed 208-3, with Aaron Shellie hitting a magnificent 117 to put his side in charge. David Anderson added 58.

Silksworth made just 80, with Shellie claiming 4-12 with the ball and David Andrew returning 5-40 to seal the win.

Houghton hammered Boldon CA by 113 runs

Gandhar Bhatawadekar, who hit 98 runs, and bowler Gavin Keen, with 4-56, were their heroes

Murton saw off Langley Park in a low-scoring game

Sam Sanderson (5-27 in 12 brilliant overs) and Keith Chapman (4-14 in 11) did the damage as Murton skittled Langley for 55 in 31 overs.

Chris Winn top scored with 26 in Murton’s charge to victory by six wickets in 9.4 overs, with Alan Welburn adding 13. Craig Robertson plundered 3-8 in four overs.