2'S CONVINCING SIX WICKET WIN AT CASTLE EDEN

15th May 2024

.           NEPL Division 2, Sat 11^th May 2024, SNCC v Castle Eden (a)

Castle Eden 103 ao (33.4o) Lewis Simpson 25, Liam Brown 10: Ru Fletcher 3-16, Gavin Paton 2-19, Nathan Gough 3-36, George Gray 0-15, James Lunn 2-10.

SNCC 104-4 (18.3o) Nick Tomlinson 44*, Alex Charnley 14, Will Carr 11*: Richard Ede 2-23, Craig Defty 0-33, Jacob Darby 2-28, Chris Tudball 0-18. 

SNCC won by 6 wickets - 24 points, Castle Eden 0.

A sunny day at Parklands, the home team won the toss & chose to bat. Dunn & Dawson faced the right arm seam of Ru Fletcher & Gavin Paton. In the third over Dunn (8) was bowled by one that seamed away, 10-1. The wicket was slow & inclined to be low.

In the 7^th Dawson (0) aiming to leg, leading edged to backward point off Ru for Will Carr to take the catch, 11-2. A stand of 30 between Irwin & Simpson ended in the 14^th when the left arm seam of Nathan Gough took two wickets in three balls. Irwin (5) dragged on & Tudball (0) was bowled aiming to drive, 41-4.

In the 18^th Brown (10) having just stroked 2x4 was bowled by Nathan defending, 56-5. George Gray's spell of 5 overs went wicketless as a stand of 27 between Simpson & Pennick developed. It ended at 83 in the 24^th when Pennick (9) driving, was well held by James Lunn, diving forward at mid off, Gavin the bowler.

Simpson (25,4x4), cutting & driving nicely, had batted well but at 85 in the 27^th after some dots he was lbw to Lunny working to leg, 7 down. 5 overs later Douthwaite (9) skied Ru to mid off where Lunny took the catch, 98-8. At the same score Defty (0) was neatly caught by w/k Craig Manchester of Lunny's off spin, 9 down. In the 34^th Ede (8) was yorked by Gavin, 104 all out.

Not so easy to score on a wicket that was slow & low but perhaps after two hours of sun, conditions might become easier.

The left handed Nick Tomlinson & Alex Charnley faced the right arm seam of Ede & Defty. A stand of 40 for the first wicket as both batsmen found the boundary but in the 7^th Alex (14) forcing was well caught in the gully. Angus Southern (2) half forward was bowled by Ede in the 11th, 53-2. Alex Weetman (5) was a tad unlucky to play on to Darby in the 14^th 75-3, & two overs later Nathan (6) having driven straight for 4, was lbw to one that may have kept low, 89-4.

All the while Nick was punishing anything on his legs through mid wicket or square  leg, amassing 8x4. Will Carr pulled two nice leg side boundaries & the winning runs came after only18.3 overs, Nick (44*, 56b, 8x4) & Will (11*, 16b, 2x4). A comprehensive win on a wicket that might have eased slightly in the second innings.

The fielding was good, the bowling steady & the Nick's experience & composure in such run chases helped secure a comprehensive win.

24 points takes the 2's to 6th in NEPL Division 2.

Sat 18^th May 2024: SNCC v Chester-le-Street (h) 45/45 win/lose from 1200, we hope you can be there to cheer them on against the current joint table toppers.

Duncan.