Tynemouth firsts win nail-biting game against Benwell Hill for a much-needed win

Home skipper Peter Halliday won the toss and had no hesitation in asking the away team to have a bat first on a damp wicket.

The top order for Tynemouth failed again, but these were difficult batting conditions with both Callum Harding and Aussie Evasio McMillan finding sideways movement off the seam and a bit of swing too. They accounted for Matthew Kimmitt, Ben Debnam, Matthew Brown and Tshepo Ntuli with only 25 runs on the board, and when Stu Poynter was out soon after Tynemouth looked to be in desperate straits at 31-5.

However two youngsters, in the shape of 18-year-old Joe Snowdon and 15-year-old Robbie Bowman, showed great composure and fine judgement to bat together while the wicket slowly dried out. A fine partnership of 47 followed.

Bowman made 25 and Snowdon 38, but more were needed, and it came with the very last wicket stand by the two veterans of the side: Andrew Smith and skipper Martin Pollard.

Smith was positive from ball one and Pollard introduced his own brand of Bazball with positive hooks and drives.

By the time Pollard was dismissed Tynemouth had made 155 with Smith undefeated on 36.

Durham Academy youngster Hayden Mustard opened for Benwell with Angus Guy and the pair had reached 37 when Mustard, on 22, provided keeper Poynter with the simplest of stumping chances.

Ntuli then stunned the home supporters by dismissing Adam Heather and McMillan, both lbw, in consecutive deliveries. 37-0 had quickly changed to 38-3.

Now it was the home team that was finding batting difficult. First Phil Bell was caught by Poynter off Ntuli, then Peter Halliday was clean bowled by Andrew Jones, and then William Archbold, caught again by the keeper off Shaw Nel.

When Guy was also caught behind it looked like the game was up for the Hill at 78-7. However, an unlikely ninth wicket partnership between Max Williamson and Saffy Diip was to frustrate Tynemouth.

Williamson and Diip had taken their team to within 17 of victory and it was Jones who rose to the occasion, clean-bowling Williamson for 32 and shortly afterwards had Callum Harding adjudged lbw to clinch victory for his side.

Jones took 4-47 and Ntuli 5-37, his first five wicket haul for the club.

Unfortunately, the 1s were the only Tynemouth side to finish on the winning side at the weekend. The 2s lost at home to Benwell Hill by three wickets. Batting first, Tynemouth amassed 176 all out, with Joel Hull-Denholm (74), Dan McGee (38), Ed Foreman (15) and Josh Koen (13) reaching double figures.

In reply, an unbroken eighth wicket stand of 64 saw the visitors home, despite the best efforts of James Carr (3-32) and Dan McGee (2-41).

The Saturday 3s faced a tough away game against promotion contenders Greenside.

The star of the show was Adam Tugby (36 not out) who was cruelly deprived of the chance of making an ever better score when Ian Cusack (1) senselessly ran himself out.

Tynemouth end up 122 all out, a score Greenside bettered in 26 overs.

The Sunday 3s lost to South North by four runs at Roseworth Terrace.