AFTER the opening rounds of sparring in the Darlington Building Society NYSD Premier League, teams get down to serious business this weekend with a double programme of matches.

At the moment, there is a glut of eight teams separated by just three points in midtable, and two of them will come face to face with the rejuvenated Hartlepool, the only side retaining a 100 per cent record.

Great Ayton are the first to test Pool’s newly-found potency at Park Drive on Saturday.

Despite drawing twice the Aytonians have garnered enough points to be joint third, and their only change for the double is the return of Michael Croft from injury, with Neil Parkin retaining his place after impressing on debut.

The table toppers bring in Paul Jackson for the umpiring Mike Gough, although Gough returns to the side for their second match at Fountains Garth on Monday. The Priorymen are unchanged for their double which starts at Richmond, James Lines kept in after a late call-up last week.

Richmondshire have a difficult pair of games – after entertaining Guisborough they travel to Acklam Park on Monday, but they do have key bowler Chris Layfield recovered from injury, although whether Shani Dissanayake’s visa comes through in time for him to play is anybody’s guess.

Richard Chandler and Andrew Fishburn return to the Northallerton team for their matches at Marton and then home to Darlington, but the Quakers will be without Liam Coates with James Sutton back again. They enjoy the use of Feethams on Saturday where Middlesbrough are the visitors.

The Boro will give a seasonal debut to Scottish international Kyle Coetzer, and Liam Botham also plays. Yasir Shah is completing national duties with Pakistan but should arrive in the middle of next week.

Thornaby, too, will not have their overseas man in time for the weekend, and Neil Coverdale misses their first game at home to Blackhall, returning on Monday against Great Ayton. Richie Rennard and Paul Allen both come in.

Blackhall’s double is completed with a home game against Normanby Hall and they will have the classy South African Warren Swan in the team, as well as new signing Dan Hardy, a Durham University student just transferred to them from Bradninch CC where he has been playing minor counties for Devon. Paul Moss also makes his seasonal debut after completion of football commitments.

Hall lie in second place and begin their weekend at Cricket Lane against Billingham, Dave Cross drafted into their squad, Marske promote Jordan Carroll for the home match with Bishops and away to the Synners, while Marton have Tom Chadwick back, their second opponents, Bishop Auckland, missing Ben Usher on Saturday.

With the champions, Middlesbrough, held up by one of the best batting displays by an opposition side at Acklam Park for many years, Hartlepool moved coolly and calmly to the top of the Premier Division last Saturday.

Marton showed no respect for Boro’s usually dominant bowling attack as they chalked up 269 for the loss of just five wickets, and ironically it was one of their former players, Jonny Spillane, who gave a thrilling display with an undefeated top score of 89 which included ten fours and two sixes.

He shared a partnership of 72 with John Glendenen (37) after Lee Hodgson, who hit 51 from 63 balls, got the innings off to a dazzling start, reaching 91 for the first wicket.

Boro’s response, as expected, was to go for the runs, but after James Lowe (45) was out after an opening stand of 80, Paul Johnston (76 from 110 balls) found the target a tough one and when his innings ended in the game’s last over his side were still 93 runs behind on 176-6. Marton professional, Mohammed Zahid (4-77 from 25 overs) made sure his side took the biggest share of the points in a notable draw.

Meanwhile, Hartlepool grabbed their second successive victory when they beat newcomers, Thornaby. It was the Mandale club’s first match back on their own track since winning promotion but they couldn’t stop their visitors reaching 258-8.

Chris Fawcett (87 from 80 balls) and Mike Gough (71 from 92 balls) put on 162 in a whirlwind opening stand even though Ian Macdonald (4-57) and Leigh Beaumont (3-97) stuck manfully to their task.

Pool’s new professionals, Janaka Gunaratne (4-34 on his debut) and Mark Symington (4-57) swept the visitors to an 108-run victory despite defiant knocks from Chris Metcalfe (60 not out) and Neil Coverdale (41) in a score of 150 .

Marske and Blackhall grabbed their first wins of the season with the Seasiders getting the better of Northallerton and the former Colliery club sending Billingham Synthonia to the foot of the league table.

Farrukh Iqbal was in great form with 36 and five wickets for Blackhall in the continued absence of Warren Swan. John Darby’s 54 led the Colliers’ successful run chase after the Synners reached 154-7 at just three runs an over despite Keith Hewson making a splendid half century.

Stand-in pro, Masood Mirza, spun Billingham into trouble.

Marske won by three wickets after Northallerton were bowled out for 175 with Steve Chapman (3-36) and skipper Chris Nicholls (3-61) taking the honours. Then Gary Lynch (50), Chapman (47) and Karl Bramwell (two sixes and two fours in an unbeaten 28) rattled up the required runs with seven overs to spare. Jon Barnes (4-45) and Richard Bentley (3-81) didn’t have a third bowler in form.

Great Ayton figured in a battle royal for a second week, but instead of having to bat out for a remarkable draw, as in their opening game, they suffered this time as Richmondshire’s tail-enders played out the final overs.

Ayton’s Chris Batchelor (79 from 74 balls) and Riaz Afridi (61 including four sixes and four fours) brought a declaration after 47 overs, but despite seven wickets for the Pakistan all-rounder to follow the eight he took a week ago, Richmondshire produced excellent resistance.

Matt Brown (58), James Clarkson (40) and pro, Ziafat Ashraf (40), gave them early stability.

But Afridi’s 7-93 from 22 overs made sure the Dalesmen got no closer than 184-9, 44 runs short.

Doug Mulholland had to rally his Darlington team-mates with an unbeaten 46 in a thoughtful 78-ball innings as they were in danger of being submerged by Guisborough. He came to the wicket on 41-3 and was stuck like glue at the end on 153-7.

In the Priory club’s knock of 196-8, Martin Hood, with a magnificent 97, was the star performer.

He faced 140 balls and hit 62 in boundaries before skying a catch trying to become the first century maker in the league this season. Tariq Aziz (42) showed good form in his new pro-surroundings but it didn’t prevent Peter Armstrong, formerly the Norton skipper, bagging five wickets for the Quakers.

In Division One only three teams still retain an unblemished record with two of them, Barnard Castle and Stokesley, clashing this weekend.