Champions Barnard Castle have already opened up a 12-point lead in the Premier Division table following a third successive league victory.
While it’s early days and there’s a huge amount of cricket still to play, last season’s top flight title winners are looking formidably strong.
New overseas signing Suminda Lakshan has hit the ground running, making telling contributions in the league and in the ECB National Club Championship.
His 5-27 in the Benwell Hill cup win earned him his Barnard Castle cap, which was presented to him by club president Stephen Brenkley before the Marske fixture.
Lakshan celebrated by going out and making a significant impact with bat and ball, scoring a half century (52) and then claiming his second successive five-wicket haul (5-42).
Skipper Karl Carver won the toss and elected to bat, which turned out to be a good call. The home side lost opener Finn Usher (13) cheaply while James Quinn (3), batting at three, was run out, as Marske made early inroads.
But Barney’s other opener, James Clarkson, hung around to make a half century and when he was bowled by John Mains for 58, Lakshan walked out to bat.
Joining forces with Carver, the pair put on 105 for the fourth wicket.
The captain eventually finished not out on 116 off just 108 deliveries, deciding to declare on 301-7 after 49 overs.
Marske never looked like scoring the required runs for victory but they did threaten to hang around too long.
It took Barney more than 10 overs to claim their first wicket, with Usher bowling Imran Qureshi for 37 with the first ball of the 11th.
But just four balls later Usher claimed a second victim when Rafeed Rashid Junior was caught by keeper Max Marton.
Reyan Nadeem (52) and Rameez Nawaz (35) proved resilient and, at the start of the 35th over, Marske were 130-3 and no doubt harbouring thoughts of batting through to the close.
But, three balls later, Nadeem became the third of Usher’s four wickets (4-40) and Marske slipped from 135-4 to 173 all out with Lakshan taking five of the six remaining wickets to sweep up the tail.
Barney 301-7dec (49 overs) bt Marske 173 all out (45.5 overs)
