The match between Cramlington Stingers and Saint Chads was a keenly  contested affair in the first division of the Northumbria Summer League with the  Saints taking an early lead when Adam Curran beat David Graham and Jimmy Scope  overcoming Iain Wood. Bonne Habekost then pulled one back for the Stingers with  victory over Dave Bissett but Curran won again over five ends against Wood.  Habekost and Wood took the doubles set by beating Curran and Scope to start a  revival for the home side who went on to win  the next three matches before  Curran completed his hat-trick against Habekost to keep his side in contention.  The final match between Graham and Scope swung one way and then the other with  Graham edging home 12- 10 in the fifth end. Alex Smith was in good form for  Springwell and his unbeaten performance helped his side to a draw with Tyne  Dock.

Frank Lasek and Barry Hill both did well for North Fire in the second  division when they visited Mortimer and with Bob Appleby getting two sets and  Appleby and Lasek taking the doubles they ran out 9 – 1 winners, Jamie Westwater  getting the lone set for the home side.

In the third division Cramlington Knights won their first match of the  season with Diane Cartmell unbeaten  in a 6 – 4 victory over Matfen A being  backed up by two sets from Adrian Barnes and one from Blair Carmichael. Lynsey  Storey was again in winning vein and her three sets helped Cramlington  Corinthians to come away from Whitley Chapel with a 6 – 4 victory under their  belts. Paul Jamieson won a couple of sets and Kit Robinson got the other with  Stefan Sobell taking two for the home team. Dave McAllister got a hat-trick for  Lanchester but his side went down 6 –4 to Matfen B and the derby match between  Sacriston Bombers and Sacriston Comets was won 8 – 2 by the Bombers.

Brandon and Byshottles lost for the first time in division four when they  visited Ouston B who had Mark Rodgers and Jeff McKenna both turning in unbeaten  performances as their side won 9 – 1. The Chinese players George Ge, Chung Yan  Ho and Nick Xuen representing NECA second team raced to a 10 – 0 win over  Cramlington Magpies and the all Sacriston match saw the Chargers edge home 6 – 4  against the Desperadoes despite Max Duffin winning all of his sets for the  losing side.

Aubrey Drapkin