The duel between Richmondshire and Barnard Castle at the top of the ECB Premier Division showed no sign of easing over the weekend, with the two clubs trading honours across two days.
Saturday belonged to Richmondshire in the league; Sunday belonged to Barnard Castle in the Kerridge Cup.
At Feethams on Saturday, Richmondshire won the toss, elected to bat and compiled 238 for eight from their 50 overs. Tom Dowson, opening once more, top-scored with 91 from 97 balls, an innings of seven fours and three sixes that ended nine short of a hundred. Gary Pratt (12) fell early, but Dowson and captain Dan Hodgson rebuilt the innings, Hodgson grinding out a patient 44 from 93 balls before the late order gave the total its shape. Matty Price finished unbeaten on 56 from just 40 deliveries, striking six fours and two sixes to carry Richmondshire comfortably beyond 230 and set Darlington a stiff target.
The reply was a procession. Lalith Akkaraju ran through the order with seven for 20 from eight overs, two of them maidens, and Darlington were dismissed for 108 in the 25th over. Owen Harwood (35) and James Sutton (25) offered the only real resistance; once Harwood departed with the score at 95 for six the innings subsided rapidly, the last four wickets adding only 13 runs. Joe White chipped in with two for 17 and Sam Wood took one for 27. The 130-run margin brought Richmondshire the full 25 points.
Those points carried added significance in the title race. Barnard Castle won on the same afternoon but, unable to bowl Middlesbrough out, collected 20 points rather than the maximum – a five-point swing in Richmondshire’s favour. The gap at the top now down to four points with two duw to meet next Saturday.
Sunday reversed the mood. In the Kerridge Cup final at Hartlepool. Richmondshire batted first and could reach only 188 for eight from their 40 overs. Sam Wood top-scored with 39, Owen Kelly made 32 and former captain Rob Carr 31, with Gary Pratt contributing 21 at the top. Pratt’s exit at 32 set a pattern of wickets falling at regular intervals, and although Max Percival and Josh Dowson saw out the overs unbeaten, the total looked a little light on a sound surface.
So it proved. Barnard Castle reached their target with four wickets and 15 balls to spare, closing on 192 for six. An opening stand of 83 between Finn Usher (43) and James Clarkson (39) laid the platform, and James Quinn’s 46 steered the chase towards its conclusion.
Akkaraju was again the pick of the Richmondshire attack with three for 41 and briefly threatened to turn the game as he removed Clarkson, Quinn and Karl Carver either side of the halfway mark; Josh Dowson, Max Percival and Joe White each struck once. But the breakthroughs came too far apart, and Richard Borrowdale and Robert West saw Barnard Castle home unbeaten
AROUND THE CLUB
Second XI – beat Bedale by 93 runs
Richmondshire’s second XI claimed a much-needed victory as the shadow of relegation looms in NYSD Division 1, beating Bedale by 93 runs at Hurgill Road. Batting first, Richmondshire made 279 for nine from their 50 overs, the innings built around Bertie Morris’s 79 and an opening 60 from Jamie Stead. Daniel Douglas (32), Alex Percival (36) and Sam Winter (30) all played their part. In reply Bedale were dismissed for 186 in 42.1 overs, Tom Stockton returning the outstanding figures of four for 28 from 12 overs with four maidens. Jordan Forbes took three for 70, Shaun Charlton two for 55 and Raam Raj one for 27. The 25 points were badly needed.
Fifth XI – beat Eryholme by 142 runs
The fifth XI picked up an equally vital win in the same fight against the drop, overwhelming Eryholme by 142 runs at Richmond School in Darlington and District Division B. Richmondshire chose to bat and posted 228 for six from their 40 overs, Matt Bromirskyj top-scoring with 66 and Jake Wright striking a rapid 45 at the top of the order. Andy Dade finished unbeaten on 37 and Mike White made 27.
Eryholme were then bowled out for 86 inside 25 overs, Dade following his runs with the exceptional figures of five for 10 from five overs, two of them maidens. Alfie Bottomley claimed three for 16, with Louis Morris and Max Dawson taking one apiece. The victory was worth 20 points from a commanding all-round display.
