1ST X1 MAINTAIN WINNING START WITH COMPREHENSIVE VICTORY OVER BURNOPFIELD

28th Apr 2019

On another, excellent flat wicket with bounce & carry & a quick outfield despite Thursday's rain, the Bulls maintained their winning start, dismissing a young Burnopfield side for 187 in 45.1 overs, Sean Tindale again to the fore with an outstanding 6-67, before an undefeated 4th wicket partnership of 104* between John Graham (88*) & Adam Cragg (45*) saw the home team win by 7 wickets in only 37.1 overs. Spectators were entertained by 51 4's & 6 6's to all parts !!

Burnopfield 187ao (Humble 56, Pearce 28, J Oswell 35, Ahmed 25: Sean Tindale 6-67, Gareth Wade 1-39, Lee Crozier 1-25, Michael Craigs 1-20, Oli McGee 1-35)

SNCC 190-3 (John Graham 88*, Adam Cragg 45*, Jacques Du Toit 34: Humble 2-53, Thorp 1-13)

SN 25 points Burnopfield 4.

Winning the toss, SN invited the newly promoted, visitors to bat. Stephen Humble returned for the first time since his departure from Roseworth Terrace at the end of the 2017 season. Scott Steel & Harry Adair were unavailable. Jonathan Pears & Matthew Oswell faced the pace of Sean Tindale, from the Grove end, & Gareth Wade. Tindale's first ball pinned Pears on the crease & he was adjudged lbw.

After last week's century, captain Cole Pearce, at 3, looked in prime form as he stroked 6 boundaries effortlessly in 28 before aiming to force a Wade delivery, found the outside edge & Rob Peyton took a neat catch. 45-2 in the 10th over. John Oswell joined brother Matthew & he too put bat to ball until, after a boundary the ball before, seemed to play over a delivery in Lee Crozier's 3rd over being bowled for 35 (6x4). 83-3 in the 20th.

In the next over, Michael Craigs's 3rd from the Grove end, Matthew Oswell (21, 84m, 47b) drove to mid wicket & was comfortably caught by Chris Hewison. 85-4. Adam Ahmed & Mitchell Killeen batted sensibly until lunch on 118-4 after 33overs.

Switching to the Park end the third ball of Sean Tindale's second spell saw Killeen (13) feather behind to be caught by Rob Peyton & one run later new batsman Callum Thorp was adjudged lbw to Oli McGee operating from the Grove end. 119-6 after 35 overs. Stephen Humble joined Adam Ahmed & his first scoring shot despatched an attempted Tindale bouncer into Roseworth Terrace for 6.

Humby began to enjoy himself & plundered 26 before getting a life as Chris Hewison just failed to pouch a difficult chance at deep cover. Ahmed succumbed to a catch behind off the persevering Tindale for 25. 147-7 in the 40th. At the same score Tindale yorked Hutton for 0. 11 Humble runs later he repeated the dose as Senior saw his middle stump flattened. 158-9 in the 42nd.

Humble then smote 3 6's as the last wicket partnership blossomed until a square drive travelled 60 yards to be caught low down by Chris Hewison for a deserving 56 (5x4, 4x6 37b, 49m). Sean Tindale finishing with a magnificent 6-67 from 14.1 overs, as the visitors innings closed at 187 after 45.1o.

With 64 overs available, Simon Birtwisle & Chris Hewison faced the seam of Stephen Humble & Matthew Oswell. An eventful first over included 2 no balls, 2 boundaries, 2 singles but also the wicket of Hewison driving to be caught at first slip by Thorp off the 6th ball. John Graham entered at 3 to face a fired up Humby & in his next over survived a close lbw shout.

At 29 in the 5th over Simon Birtwisle(12) was somewhat surprisingly adjudged lbw to Humble as he advanced. Jacques Du Toit joined Graham & in a 40 minute cameo struck 8 elegant boundaries from 32 balls until, uncharacteristically, slashing at a wide Thorp delivery to be caught behind by w/k Pearce for 34. Effortless ! This was Callum Thorp's third over in a spell of 6  for only 13 with 3 maidens. A nagging length, he beat the bat & seemed unlucky not to get a wicket. So 86-3 in the 14th as captain Adam Cragg started his first innings on grass in 2019 watchfully. There was time.

Thorp's miserly spell concluded at tea, 113-3 after 20 overs. Graham 42, including 3 driven 4's in Humble's last over, Cragg 4. Thereafter the medium pace of Alex Senior bowled 4 & the slow left arm of Adam Ahmed began a spell of 8 from the Grove end. These overs were punctuated by sumptuous John Graham off drives (53 from 61b, 80m) & good running that Ahmed, the returning Matthew Oswell & latterly, Owen Shield could not stem.

A sweep for 4 by Cragg from the first ball of the 38th over saw the Bulls home.  An undefeated  4th wicket partnership of 104, John Graham 88* (13x4, 1x6, 115b, 139m) Adam Cragg 45* (5x4, 67b, 79 m).  Another highly satisfactory, all round, team performance leaving the Bulls second in the Premier Division on 50 points, trailing Tynemouth by 2.

On Tuesday 30th April at Roseworth Terrace, Durham entertain Lancashire in the Royal London One Day Cup, 1100 start. Tickets are available. On Saturday 4th May the 1st X1 travel to Whitburn, 1200 start & on Mon 6th host Sunderland in the Banks Salver, 1330 start. We hope to see you there.

DDS.