1864'S DEFEAT CHAMPIONS RIDING MILL IN END OF SEASON MINI LEAGUE.

3rd Sep 2024

               1864'S DEFEAT CHAMPIONS RIDING MILL IN END OF SEASON MINI LEAGUE.

Riding Mill 153-7 (40o) A Bethanabatla 36, M Thompson 29, L Ashburn 15, R Bethanabatla 33, L Mallinson 17*: Gregor Pearce 2-33, Joe Dresser 1-18, Will Young 1-17, David Cragg 1-34 Simon West 2-37.

SNCC 1864 154-8 (32.1o) Aaryan Wagh 15, Jan Ozmen 37, Elliott Mee 13, Ben Hobbs 39, Simon West 15*, Will Young 11*: R Young 2-39, N Rodger 1-30, A Hall 4-15, R Bethanabatla 1-36, L Mallinson 0-19, L Ashburn 0-4.

SNCC 1864 won by 2 wickets - 18 points, Riding Mill 8.

The end of season mini league play offs, when the top 4 teams play each other, began with another visit to champions Riding Mill & another win !!

A warm day, a good wicket, the 1864's won the toss & chose to field. Openers Kent & Bennett were bemused by Gregor's spin. Kent (0) played on with no runs on the board & Bennett (1) lasted 10 overs before he succumbed to a leg break, 34-2. At the other end Joe bowled 4 overs of seam nicely, three of which were maidens.

A useful partnership of 35 between Adi Bethanabatla & Thompson ended when Will Young found a perfect yorker in his 4^th over to bowl the hard hitting Thompson (26), 69-3. 4 runs later Adi (36) was caught by David Cragg at square leg off Simon. Rodger (0) was lbw to Simon at 75, full & straight.

Another partnership of 30 between Ashburn & R Bethanabatla ended at 105 when Ashburn (15) lofted David to cover for Jan to take the catch. Another handy partnership ensued until R Bethanabatla (33) lofted Joe Dresser to cover where Jan obliged again, 143-7.

Mallinson (17*) & Hall (5*) saw the home team to the close of 40 0overs at 153-7. A very creditable bowling display by all the bowlers, with 11 maidens. Joe & Will bowling 16 overs, 6 maidens, 35 runs & 2 wickets. Gregor's spin variations continued to bamboozle.

In reply Aaryan & Jan faced the seam of Young, left arm, the leading league wicket taker, & Rodger. 21-1 when Aaryan (15) was lbw to Rodger. U13 Olly Alexander (0) shaped well until he was caught at square leg off Young, 41-2. Elliott Mee (13, 2x4) also U13, hit one lovely cover drive & ran well in partnership with Jan until he was caught off R Bethabatla's medium pace at 67, 3 down.

Jan's (37) resistance ended at 80 when his drive flew to backward point off the spin of Hall. Ben Hobbs was going well but Leo Harper (0) & Joe Dresser (2) succumbed both caught & bowled by Hall, 98-6. Ben's fine innings (39, 4x4) with shots all around the ground, ended at 106 when he too was caught & bowled by Young.

Gregor hit 2x4 (8) & would have added a 6 but at 120 Thompson raced from long on to long off to take an excellent catch on the boundary, a 4^th wicket for the spin of Hall. Simon West & Will Young then proved that bowlers need to be able to bat as they resisted & then attacked as change bowlers Mallinson & Ashburn came on. Simon (15*) hitting 4 & then 6 & Will (11*) despatching Ashburn's first ball for 4 to seal a tense win by 2 wickets in the 32nd over.

The 1864's next game is at Haydon Bridge on Sat 7^th September from 1300. The final game against Wylam on Sat 14^th September will be at Belsay, start 1300. We hope you can be there to see the 1864's grandstand finish to the season.

 Duncan.