until an untimely intervention by the weather scuppered their hopes and resulted in a frustrating draw. On a humid afternoon, a terrific performance by all of the Mighty Acorns bowlers had seen them dismiss the Derwenthaugh outfit for only 104 – then things turned after the tea interval when Ashington began their reply. Casting an eye towards a gloomy skyline in the background, the Colliers had hardly began their reply when rumbles of thunder coupled with lightening led to the umpires taking the players off to the dressing rooms. When play recommenced, Ashington lost Dan Grant in the third over, bowled by a beauty from Guy Saxton. Jack Jessop and Jack McCarthy chipped away at the target adding 34 until the latter chopped a delivery from spinner Nicky Phillips onto his stumps in the 17th over. With the weather closing in, James Harmison was sent in at number four to try and speed up the run chase but from the first ball he received from Phillips, the right hander returned a catch to the bowler which he pocketed low down. Skipper Ben Harmison partnered Jessop but shortly afterwards on 45-3, rain forced the players off again. Amidst grey skies and patiently looking on as the rain continued to fall, stumps were eventually drawn and the game abandoned. Earlier the Wansbeck outfit had performed superbly well as they had the homesters reeling. From the first ball of the second over, run machine Chris Hewison was caught by Matty Storey at cover off Ben Harmison and Ashington continued to pressurize Swalwell with Matty Collins trapping John Meadows lbw then James Harmison, Stephen Boyd and Paul Rutherford picking up a wicket in their first overs. Harmison uprooted Neil Corby’s leg stump and in the next, Lloyd Anderson, who had scored 22 out of a total of 27, drove Boyd to Ben Harmison at mid off. Left arm spinner Rutherford snapped up Stephen Smith with his first ball followed by Ross Sinclair at 49-6 – both caught by Sean McCafferty. Swalwell’s 50 came up in the 25th over but Ashington were then left frustrated by an seventh wicket partnership of 40 between James Welch (29) and Phillips (20) and only a brilliant throw at the stumps by James Harmison to run out the latter broke the stubborn stand in the 38th over. Rutherford and Collins took further wickets to polish off the innings on 104 in the 44th over. Rutherford took 3-22 from 12 overs and Collins 3-32 from 10.5 with Ben Harmison 1-11 from eight; James Harmison 1-8 from five and Boyd 1-12 from four, also featuring with the ball. *Ashington remain in second place in the Northumberland & Tyneside Cricket League’s first division, 22 points behind Shotley Bridge, whom they meet at The Spa on Saturday week (June 16).*This Saturday, Ashington are at home to Lanchester.
Swalwell 10 points; Ashington 13 points