Sunshine, wides, and boundaries aplenty as locals secure lead in North East Series Day 3.

An exciting day 3 in the glorious summer sunshine of Billingham, Teesside saw 497 runs, with 67 boundaries and 53 extras, as the local NUSC placed one hand on the North East Series trophy with a 113-run win over Guernsey.

Batting first, NUSC was bowled out for 305, leaving potentially as many as 100 runs behind. But it was, potentially more than 75 above what they could have scored as Guernsey would rue two dropped catches of Tyler Stagg 64(77) that cost 40, extras totaling 27 with 7 no-ball free hits, and number 8 Luke Egglestone whose 50 off 30 balls including eight fours, and two sixes, allowed 305 to be posted when 220-240 looked likely.

With Johnson playing as a specialist bat, the bowling was let by the impressive Merrien (1-45), Forshaw (4-69) including top scorer Hedges 65(47) and Robinson (2-43) which included two critical middle order wickets that pulled the score back before Egglestone's onslaught.

305 proved too many for Guernsey, but given the conditions, had it been 220-230, then the game may have been very different.  Six wickets between spinners Daniel Edwards (3-18), Jack Riley (2-30), and Charlie Peirson (1-9) at a combined economy rate of 3.4 per over proved a critical factor in keeping one end tight allowing seamer rotation in the hot conditions from the other.

Runs again from Ed Robinson (42), Will Stewart (28), and Harry Johnson (35) were the backbone of the Guernsey batting innings helped by 27 extras as 192ao with 7 overs left, showed how close the game could have been, had those sliding door moments gone the other way.

That is cricket, key moments went the way of the locals, and they have one very strong hand on the Art Nouveau North East Series trophy heading into the final day on Wednesday.

For more information on the series contact thenortheastcricketseries@gmail.com