Barry Stewart was the star of the day with a magnificent bowling performance which ensured an emphatic victory and top spot in the league.

Skipper Graeme Hallam carried on his progress from last season by losing the toss and Tynemouth were not surprised to be duly inserted in to bat on a typical April wicket.

But all worries were extinguished with a creditable opening partnership of 51 from Iain Purdy and skipper Hallam.

However, the downfall of Purdy caused a mini collapse, all too familiar with the Tynemouth outfit.

Grant Lindsay, M Iqbal and Barry Stewart all fell in quick succession.
Andy Lineham began to help rebuild the Tynemouth challenge, supporting his captain en route to a well deserved 50.

However, this challenge was to be short lived and Lineham departed for eight.

Andrew Smith then made use of some wayward Gateshead bowling to make a gritty 20, which made sure of Tynemouth batting through their allotted overs.

Greg Hollins and Jamie Coates, with 10 and 22 respectively, gave more than able support to Smith with Coates entertaining the spectators with some scintillating hitting.

Tynemouth eventually reached 164 all out, of which Hallam made 66.

It was then the turn of Barry Stewart to unleash a vicious assault on the Gateshead Fell batting line-up, taking eight very cheap wickets.

The batsmen had no answer to his unerring accuracy and wickets fell at regular intervals.

At one stage Gateshead were reduced to 34-9.

However, a battling 34 from Devonport and last man J Perchard, who had a good game in scoring 14 not out, saw them to a marginally more respectable 71 all out.

But this partnership did little to take the gloss off a magnificent Tynemouth performance, especially Stewart's 8-17.

Lindsay and Iqbal took the other wickets.

Tynemouth will play their next league match on Saturday at home, hosting Benwell Hill and hoping to really set out their stall for the upcoming season.

Tynemouth 2nds completed the weekend's great start to the season with an emphatic win at home against Gateshead Fell 2nds.

Tynemouth won the toss and inserted the visitors, who finished with a paltry 56 all out.

Steve Mordue returned figures of 4-6 off 8.5 overs, Russell Perry 2-12 off nine and one wicket each for David Hymers, Lion and Koen.

In reply Tynemouth openers Scott Thornton and Tony Lion applied themselves well.

Thornton was the more fluent as the pair knocked off the required runs in only 21.3 overs with no real alarm.

Thornton finished 30 not out and Lion 24 not out.