PONTELAND gave a good account of themselves against tough opposition, but they never looked like winning and fell to a six-wicket defeat.

Losing the toss, Ponteland were put into bat and Will Newbigin was bowled in the second over with Andy Graves (4) following shortly after.

Dan Wright and James Bates then recovered the innings.

Wright continued his recent excellent form and confidently passed 50, while Bates attacked the bowling effectively with three huge sixes before he was deceived by a slower ball from Law when on 35, with the partnership on 68.

The same delivery also accounted for Mike Barlow (0) and Neil Pinnock (2), while Ian Cooke unfortunately played on for three as the home side suffered a mini-collapse to 115-6.

Andy Denyer joined Wright and they compiled a 50 partnership before Denyer was bowled for 21.

Wright continued to play some superb shots and he was eventually out lbw for a career best 94, an innings containing 11 fours and a six.

The final two wickets fell shortly after with Jonny Furness caught one handed at mid-wicket, then Ashley Parker was stumped for four in the final over with a total of 175 on the board.

In reply, Riding Mill set off at a rapid rate with Chris Barlow continuing to struggle for form with the ball.

With Pinnock rotating the bowlers to try to find the breakthrough, it was the fielding that let the side down as both batsmen were reprieved by dropped catches.

The century partnership came in just the 15th over with Cairns the first to 50.

Scott followed soon after but it was Andy Graves (1-10) who provided the breakthrough after the drinks break when Scott (50) chased a wide delivery and was well caught by Denyer standing up behind the stumps, having just swapped keeping with Wright four balls earlier.

Parker's second spell was much more productive as he uprooted Wallis' off-stump before Meadows was caught by Chris Barlow running in from mid wicket.

A fourth wicket fell as Chris Barlow bowled Reid but Riding Mill strolled to victory with ten overs to spare, with Cairns on 83 not out.

Ponteland used ten bowlers, with Bates bowling his first ever overs for the club.
Ponteland (Friendly) v Blunham
DESPITE an excellent century from Stuart Taylor, the Friendly side narrowly lost their match against touring visitors Blunham played in midweek.

The away side won the toss and opted to field and their two opening bowlers were able to extract significant pace and bounce out of the wicket

Both Dan Wright (7) and James Bates (1) were caught in the gully off rising deliveries while James Ottaway took a blow to the head first ball.

But Ottaway batted on providing support to Taylor as they carefully saw off the opening bowlers. They shared a partnership of 55 before Ottaway was brilliantly caught at long on off the spinner Swann for 13.