1864'S DOMINANT WIN AT BELSAY: WAGH, WEST & PEARCE SHINE

3rd Sep 2023

            West Tyne League Division 1 Sat 2^nd Sept 2023: SNCC v Belsay (h) 40/40

SNCC 1864 203-7 (40o) Aaryan Wagh 99, Jan Ozmen 35, Jacob McCord 20, Will Carr 18*: Dan Tait 4-56, Craig Bertram 0-11, Nuwan Liyanage 1-35, Sheron Janz 1-18, Izzath Omar Sheriff 1-15.

Belsay 40-9 (14.1o) Richard Mills 10, Jack Fenwick 8, Craig Betram 8: Gregor Pearce 2-21, Simon West 5-5, Will Young 2-9, Albie McPate 0-5.

South North 1864 won by 163 runs - 20 points, Belsay 3.

The wicket at Belsay always plays better than it looks so when the 1864's were inserted on a grassy surface all was not lost. Belinda (4) fell to the second ball of the game victim of a very good 'running in' catch at long on by Turner, 4-1. 4 maidens in the next 5 overs as caution prevailed.

30-1 after 12 after another maiden, then only a little acceleration, 2x6 + 1x4 in the 15th & 17th, such that after 20 overs at drinks, the total was 65-1, at which point a more positive approach was encouraged.

At 106 in the 25^th Jan (35, 71b, 3x4,1x6) was caught & bowled by Tait in his second spell. At 131 Jacob's positive 20 (14b, 2x4,1x6) ended in a catch at long on, 3 down in the 27th. Aaryan had played some handsome shots, down the ground, over the legside & through the covers & a 6 took the score to 179 in the 34^th when he was adjudged lbw for 99 (104b, 6x4,6x6) an innings of substance, so close to a deserved 100. Ben Sid (1) fell two runs later top edging & at 196 Patrick (8) swung & missed to be bowled by Janz,

Gregor (3) also swung & was caught by Mills off Liyanage at 199, Will Carr (18*) again batted nicely, rotating the strike well & the innings closed at 203-7 after 40 overs.

Belsay's batting tends to depend upon the power of Sheron Janz who has hit 100's already in 2023 but on this day the disciplined seam of Simon West & the leg breaks & googlies of Gregor Pearce prevailed in style.

Simon explains " I have been trying to get side on for a while & today I managed to get the ball to shape away as in days of old". Wickets for Simon bowling full & straight, Hedley (4) was well caught by Albie McPate at mid off in the second over, Mills (0) was bowled in the 4^th & in the 5^th Gregor got the important wicket of the powerful Janz (0) lbw, 17-3.

This became 19-5 as Simon bowled Omar Sheriff (1) & next ball had Hewitt (0) lbw. 23-6 in the 8^th as Tait (3) was bowled by Simon. Then Fenwick (8) was bowled by Gregor in the 9th. Albie & Will entered the attack & in the 13^th Will bowled Solly Mills (4). A maiden from Albie but from the first ball of the 15^th over, Will had Bertram (8) spectacularly  caught by w/k Ben Sid down the legside off a glove. A comprehensive victory, an injury prevented an 11^th batter.

A disciplined performance, a little cautious before but accelerating after drinks with Aaryan in full flow. Then a nice combination of controlled spin & seam to decimate the opposition. Good fielding again in evidence epitomised by Will Carr's diving stop. Fielding matters !!

The 1864's retain 4^th place in Division 1 on 232 points with two games left:

Sat 9^th Sept   Haltwhistle (a)        1300 start 40/40

Sat 16^th Sept Hexham Leazes (h) 1300 start 40/40. (at SNCC)

We hope you can join us to cheer the 1864's on to achieve a top four finish, especially at our last home game which is at South North.

Duncan.