1864'S JUST PIPPED BY RIDING MILL IN A CLOSE ENCOUNTER.

25th Jun 2024

        1864'S JUST PIPPED BY RIDING MILL IN A CLOSE ENCOUNTER.

                     West Tyne league Division 1: Sat 22^nd June 2024:

                        SNCC 1864 v Riding Mill (H- Belsay CC) 40/40

SNCC 1864 182-8 (40o) Will Garside 70, Will Carr 36, Jan Ozmen 13, George McConnell 15, Gregor Pearce 11*: R Young 0-25, B Smith 1-30, A Watson 1-44, M Collins 2-36, A smith 3-38, J Bennett 1-2.

Riding Mill 183-9 (38.5o) K Zuralew 13, M Thompson 67, J Bennett 28, A Bethanabatla 35: Albie McPate 4-31, Will Young 1-26, Gregor Pearce 0-44 David Cragg 0-43, George McConnell 2-24, Jacques Graham 0-10.

Riding Mill won by 1 wicket - 19 points 1864's 9.

A close encounter at Belsay on a sunny day, with a short boundary on the field side. The 1864's were asked to bat by the visitors & probably ended 20 short of an ideal total but fought hard to get back into the game after a 4^th wicket partnership of 83 between Thompson & Bennett taking the 9^th wicket in the 35^th over but just not able to take the last.

Will Garside & Jacob McCord faced the seam of R Young (lm) & B Smith (rm). 1-1 in the second over as Jacob (0), driving, was bowled by B Smith. A handy partnership between Will G & Jan had reached 58 in the 17^th when Jan (13, 43b,1x4) missed a full delivery from Watson's left arm seam, 59-2.

An enterprising partnership between the Wills took the score to 110 in the 26^th when Will Carr (36, 40b, 6x4) who had stroked well through the offside off both front & back foot, was bowled by Collins. An impressive strike rate from Will C.

George McConnell & Will G continued with intent, George pulling for 4 to the short boundary, and the score had reached 144 in the 32^nd when George (15, 22b 2x4) was bowled by Collins, 6 runs later in the 34^th Will G's fine innings of 70, (89b, 7x4 2x6) pulling to the short boundary & driving through cover & mid off, ended when he was caught at md wicket off Bennett, 151-5.

In the next over Belinda (5) advanced but drove to mid off where Watson took  the catch, 6 down for 153. Jacques & Gregor raised the total to 172 in the 39^th when both fell to A Smith bowled Jacques (9) Gregor (11) when the ball seemed to stick in the wicket defeating their attacking intent.

Albie 7* (1x4) & Will 2* pushed on to the final total of 182-8.

Zuralew & Watson faced the seam of McPate & Young. 3x4 to Zuralew (13) in over 1, two from edges & one straight, from Albie but in over 2 Will found one to swing in and bowl him. 14-2 as Smith (0) edged to w/k Will Carr off Albie in over 3  & 21-3 as Watson was athletically caught by Albie on follow through, an excellent, one handed, diving effort in over 5 !!

After 12 overs, the introduction of spin at both ends saw Gregor (lb/g) & David (sla) enter the attack. Thompson had two lives, one very difficult but he was the dominant partner in the stand of 83 with Bennett. George McConnell began a spell in the 21^st over but then in the 22^nd Bennett (28,66b, 2x4 1x6) hoisted David Cragg to Jacques at mid on, 4 down for 104.

George bowled Kent (3) at 115 in the 25^th  but Thompson took advantage of anything short or overpitched until at 129 in the 29^th he drove George McC to mid off where Albie, moved forward & diving took an excellent, low catch in two hands. Thompson 67,( 70b, 5x4 5x6) a pivotal contribution.

A Bethanabatla, once of this parish, was enterprising, and then in over 32 Collins (7), aiming for 2, was beaten by Belinda's throw to w/k Will C, 143-7. Albie & Gregor combined and at 155 in the 35^th Young (4) was caught by Will G at mid wicket off Albie, 8 down.

Aaditya Bethanabatla continued to frustrate the bowlers & in the 37th, having struck Albie for 6, next ball scooped to deep fine leg where David Cragg, running in & diving, took a sensational catch !! Bethanabatla 35 (36b 3x4, 2x6) hitting straight & to leg, a crucial innings, 170-9.

Jacques (sla) one over saw 1,1,2,2,4 to win the game for  the visitors from the 5^th ball of the 39^th over; Smith 9*, Greenwood 3*. a valiant effort with all younger players performing well under pressure.

Onward to Sat 29^th June SNCC 1864 v Newton (h) 1330 40/40 - we hope you can be there to cheer them on.

Duncan.