Batting first on a cold day with a damp outfield at home to Benwell Hill, skipper Graeme Hallam and Scott Thornton opened the innings after Hallam lost the toss.

The openers made the most of the difficult early conditions.

Thornton was then caught at the wicket by Phil Nicholson down the leg side off J Myers for only four, with the score on 20.

And he was followed soon afterwards by Moneeb Iqbal for a first ball duck, adjudged lbw to R Srylinck.

However, Hallam dug in and was pleased to share the reigns for a while with Aussie come good, Grant Lindsay.

Hallam was caught for his steady 18 chipping to mid off and then last week's hero Barry Stewart was the second Myers victim caught at cover off an innocuous full toss for only two.

Youngster Andrew Smith then took timely inspiration from Lindsay and the pair progressed very well to move the score towards some sort of respectability.

The pair began to steady the ship, mixing powerful stroke play from Lindsay with careful working of the ball from Smith.

The pair took Tynemouth past 100, with Lindsay reaching his maiden 50 for the club.

Further domination from the Aussie was epitomised with an effortless six over extra cover which thrilled the Tynemouth faithful.

The partnership had moved well past 100, when Lindsay was trapped LBW for an impressive 83.

Smith continued to find the gaps, but failed to reach his 50, after being tempted out his crease by Mohammad.

Smith was stumped by the alert Nicholson for 41 and Lindsay was trapped by Mohammed for a superb 83.

New first team man Andy Lineham is not the man to miss out when runs are needed and, coming to the crease with the score at 162-6, he made a valuable 19 not out with James Sander adding another undefeated eight in the final total of 192-6.

The hard running in the final overs brought its reward with Tynemouth reaching a defendable target.

Benwell Hill began with their expected cautious approach with Myers and A Maiden progressing slowly against the pace attack of Lindsay and Stewart using their match ball sponsored by Tynemouth's stalwart and new President Bob Clayton.

Greg Hollins then caught the injured Myers off Stewart, forcing the edge, for 13, and Stewart trapped N Dale for five to reduce the Hill to 28-2.

In came Mohammed to improve on the Hill's slow response.

Maiden, who struck a century against the club last year, neared his 50, Durham contract player Uzair Mohammad surpassed his partner with some powerful hitting off the slower bowlers.

He and Maiden progressed until Jamie Coates trapped him lbw in a significant breakthrough for the hosts.

Maiden failed to reach his 50 with Coates trapping him in front for 44.
Back came Lindsay to clean up with a second impressive spell.

Lindsay took his first wicket, accounting for the South African Frylinck for nine and did not have long to wait for his second and third, cleaning up Nicholson for one and dismissing Race without troubling the scorers.

At 127-6 a tense finish was in the offing when Stewart picked up the prize wicket of Mohammad, caught in the deep for 64 by young David Hymers and things seemed to turn Tynemouth's way.

As Benwell passed the winning draw mark, the home side had to bowl out the opposition.

With Lindsay bowling Welch and Moore a tense final three overs were assured.

The final wicket was for the taking with all of the players up to the challenge.

When Stewart couldn't find the breakthrough it was clear hero of the day Lindsay had to find something special.

Running on empty after ten consecutive overs, Lindsay found the edge, but a diving Jamie Coates could only palm the ball onto Barry Stewart's head.

The injury forced him off after severe swelling caused the loss of vision in one eye.

The injury shook the team but they were now even more desperate for the win.

With the second last ball of the game, Lindsay capped off a monumental effort trapping Pollard lbw to secure the win for the home side.

Lindsay eventually finished with figures of 6-43 capping a truly remarkable all round performance.

The Hill were 19 runs short to the delight of the hosts and especially 19 run made-to-measure man Lineham.