Ashington CC beat Burnopfield and the weather

However, the Mighty Acorns fixture was the only one which beat the weather – with the remaining five games in the league all starting before being abandoned.

Home skipper Sean McCafferty won a vital toss and had no hesitation in putting Burnopfield in to bat.

“As always, I had looked at the weather forecast,” he said afterwards. “I saw that rain showers were predicted so after wining the toss it was a no brainer to bowl in the hope of putting them out for a low score.

“Everything went according to plan and naturally I’m delighted.”

Ashington had slithered to 9-3 at Burnmoor the previous week but on Saturday the boot was on the other foot as they not only had their visitors in deep trouble at 6-3 and 17-4, but the wickets continued to fall at regular intervals.

And it was 17-year-old Alex Nice who made such a telling impact as he claimed his first five-fer for the club, leaving Burnopfield shellshocked.

The right armer made the breakthrough when he had Matthew Oswell caught at mid-on by Ian Sharkey then, two balls later, McCafferty joined the action with a grab at slip to send back Ross Whitfield.

In the sixth, Tom Hazell-Evans skied a delivery from Cam Nichols with McCafferty pouching safely at mid-off.

In the ninth, McCafferty took a stunning one handed catch – again in the slip cordon off Nice – to remove Burnopfield captain and dangerous batsmen John Oswell at 15-4.

As the dark clouds hovered over the ground, the first of two interruptions for rain came at noon – but after a break of quarter of an hour, Ashington’s dominance continued.

Opener Callum Brown nicked behind to wicketkeeper Jack McCarthy at 30-5 and two overs later, Sam Dinning was on his way back to the pavilion after his full-blooded drive was held at cover by Jack Jessop, giving the unrelenting Nice his fifth wicket.

Ben Harmison came into the attack for Nice and the tall pace bowler struck in his first over, trapping Daniel Hogg lbw.

In the 16th, medium pacer Sharkey got in on the act as Finlay McGurk edged behind into McCarthy’s gloves then, after another rain delay, James Harmison had George Weston caught at slip by his brother Ben.

At lunch Burnopfield were on the brink at 85-9 – and their innings was wrapped up from the second ball after the resumption when Amaan Ulhaq hoisted another delivery from James Harmison which was held comfortably by Nice at mid-on.

Harry Lumsden, who came in at number 10, ended unbeaten on 25.

Jack Jessop and Adam Nichol led Ashington’s reply and the pair added 35 before the latter was caught behind for 20.

Jessop and Matty Potts advanced the score onto 66 then Potts was trapped lbw – and in the same over Nichols fell after lofting the ball to mid-off.

With seven runs required, McCarthy was caught by Weston, but from the fourth ball of the 22nd over, the unflappable Jessop – now partnered by Ben Harmison – took his score onto 38 with his fourth boundary to clinch the win.