Marske produced a momentous performance, their best of the season, to take a leap towards safety in the premier division of the Darlington Building Society NYSD League on Saturday.
Enjoying their first win in 15 games, and only their third all summer, the Seasiders extended the gap between themselves and their danger-threatened neighbours Saltburn from 23 to 32 points, and with five games remaining, including today’s visit to unpredictable Barnard Castle, a further victory could be sufficient to cement the place they won back for the start of this season.
Marske’s victory was by six wickets over Guisborough who posted 175 from their 50 overs after Roshen Silva made a carefully compiled 87. He faced 125 balls and hit six fours and a six to take his overall run making to 659. Recently promoted Brad Passmore (22 from 32 balls) impressed and skipper Phil Holdsworth (22 from 33 balls) became the latest to reach the milestone of 500 runs. But Sri Lankan Nadeera Nawela (3-47 from 14 overs) and the evergreen Chris Nicholls ( 3-50 from 16) curtailed the Priorymen’s progress.
With rain threatening Marske wasted no time stepping up the pace of their reply and despite losing newly acquired Phil Mustard for 14, Nawela joined with Gary Lynch to share an exciting run chase.
Lynch made an unbeaten 61 from 60 balls and Nawela cracked 57 from 60. Between them they hit 22 boundaries. Silva (2-23) and Ryan Murray (2-60) did their best to halt the run-fest.
Saltburn just can’t step up the pace to turn drawn finishes into winning performances and they are favourites to return to the lower league from where they came just the season before last.
Visitors Redcar were bowled out for 156 with Niraj Patel (4-36) and Dan Conway (3-52) causing them the most trouble. In reply Saltburn found the accuracy of Mohammad Zahid (3-55) and Mohammud Saad hard to score from and they fell 14 runs short of their target – on 142 for 6 - despite an unbeaten 41 from skipper Steve Purcifer.
Two other games were abandoned due to the weather and one, Stokesley’s clash with close neighbours Great Ayton, could have ended their chances of chasing leaders Darlington and Richmondshire for the title.
They had their hosts in trouble on 117-6 when a cloudburst left the Ayton ground under water. Both the home side’s outstanding run makers, Chris Batchelor (36) and Nick Hendrie (24), were back in the pavilion and Andrew Weighell (2-29) and his brother James (2-37) were getting up a head of steam. But with just 26 overs played the ground was too bad to continue.
Middlesbrough’s Acklam Park was also hit by the storm although their game with Marton reached 43 overs before it was called off. Marton were on 257-2 with Lee Hodgson making his second century, although his first in the league, and Aussie Sam Jones making a half century. Hodgson hit his unbeaten 122 from 111 balls with 12 fours and three sixes.
Leaders Darlington maintained their 29 point lead over Richmondshire in a title race which could be decided when the two meet on the last day of the season.
In the NEPL, Stockton’s game with Durham Academy was washed out with the Teessiders on 73 for 5.
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