ACADEMY SECURE SUNDAY DIVISION 1 STATUS AS NEWCASTLE FALL AGONISINGLY                                              SHORT DESPITE INCOMPLETE WIN.

12th Sep 2022

        NEPL Sunday Division 1, Sun 11^th September 2022, SNCC v Newcastle (h).

Newcastle Academy 194 ao (39.2o) Hamza Amin 35, Frankie Cook 35, Joe Boaden 62*, Finlay Pearce 25 : Ben Hobbs 2-20, Will Alexander 1-57, Sadiq Khan 0-28, Ru Fletcher 2-30, Jenny McDowell 0-15, Ross Ward 0-43.

SNCC Academy 128-3 (29.4) Angus Southern 10, Jan Ozmen 58*, Sadiq Khan 19, Ben Sidney-Wilmot 33*: Will McLaughlin 2-22, Finlay Pearce 0-37, Alistair Gibson 0-23, Joe Boaden 0-28, Charlie Darwood 1-11, Alex Sinclair 0-7.

Match abandoned at 1830, an incomplete win for Newcastle (on net run rate with more than 20 overs bowled in the second innings) - 16 points, SNCC 7.

This rearranged match was vital for both teams as either could preserve their Division 1 status, or lose it! Newcastle were invited to bat on a pleasantly sunny day after overnight rain. Hamza Amin & Frankie Cook faced the right arm seam of Ben Hobbs (Grove) & Will Alexander (Park).

Ben bowled tightly but Will suffered as the left handed Amin launched down the ground & square on the offside at every opportunity. The score had reached 42 after 6 overs when Sadiq's leg breaks were introduced. In the 9^th Ben bowled Amin (35, 7x4) again attacking, 49-1 & finished his 6 over spell with 1-11 which included 24 dots, admirable control of length & line.

Ru joined Sadiq & the score rose to 72 after 17 when Ross Ward's off breaks were introduced. 12 off his first but in his second Gray (16) was adjudged lbw, sweeping, 93-2. Ru then took two in two balls as first the left-handed Cook (35, 4x4) was yorked off stump & next ball, Rack (0) was lbw, half forward, 97-4.

Boaden & Pearce batted sensibly, Boaden launching Ward for a straight 6 & driving for 4. Sadiq returned & the rate dropped. Ru finished his 8 over spell with a tidy 2-30 & Jenny took over from the Grove end for the 29^th over at 133-4. 4 tight overs for 15 & Ross's return was greeted with another straight 6 from Boaden, 168-4 after 33.

Boaden reached a deserved 50 in over 34. Will Alexander returned & in his second over Pearce (25) was very well caught by a retreating Ru at mid off, high over his head, 178-5. 

The running became frenetic as Newcastle chased 200 & maximum batting points. Ben Hobbs returned for two overs & he & Will managed to concede just 8 runs in the last 4 overs as McLaughlin(1) was run out by a good throw from Ben H to Sadiq, Sinclair (0) was bowled by Hobbs first ball, Charlie Darwood (4) run out by a direct hit from Ben Sid running in from 3^rd man & hitting the striker's stumps as a second run was attempted, & Gibson (2) run out at the bowler's end as Ru's throw hit the stumps direct, 194-9 but all out as Newcastle only had 10 players. 

Captain Boaden 62* (52b, 4x4, 2x6) an accomplished & elegant innings. 5 points (for 10 wickets) to SNCC which ensured their Division 1 status. Newcastle had to win & take 6 wickets to preserve their Division 1 status. Sam Ewart & Angus Southern faced the seam of McLaughlin (Park) & left arm of Pearce (Grove).

Tight bowling, 10-0 in 6 overs only 6 scoring shots. Frustrated, Sam's (4) big drive flew to gully where it was palmed upwards & caught by Gray off McLaughlin, 12-1 in the 7th. This became 15-2 in the 9^th as Angus (10) including one nice clip to mid wicket, feathered down the leg side off McLaughlin for Amin to take the w/k catch.

Sadiq joined Jan Ozmen & the pair accelerated. 22-2 after 10 became 64-2 after 16 , Gibson's medium pace & Boaden's off breaks suffering as Jan, stylishly, cover drove & cut Gibson & Sadiq launched Boaden over extra cover. But at 66 in the 18^th Sadiq (19, 27b, 3x4) aimed to cut but edged behind off Darwood. Ben Sid entered at 5; Darwood & Gibson bowled tightly, 70-3 after 20 overs.

The chase for wickets saw bowling changes as the openers returned but both Jan & Ben were resolute in defence, took singles, ran well & attacked the bad ball or lofted over the top when the field was brought in. Real acceleration in overs 27, 28, 29 & 30 when 28 were taken. including a straight 6 for Ben & two boundaries, in what turned out to be the last over the 30th, for Jan.

The umpires decided the conditions were too wet & the players left the field, Jan an accomplished 58*, Ben an enterprising 33*, an undefeated partnership of 62 for the 4^th wicket denying Newcastle the wickets they so desperately needed.

Umpires & Captains shook hands at 1830 when there was no prospect of further play due to both rain & light. So, the final NEPL Sunday Division 1 table shows SNCC 5th on 155 points & Newcastle 7th on 150 points, just one behind Benwell Hill.

36 players have represented the Academy in 2022, 22 juniors have been given opportunities. We hope they have enjoyed their year & feel they have developed.

Highlights:

Runs: Jan Ozmen 283, Sam Ewart 274, Jacob McCord 209, Alex Charnley 162.

Wickets: Ben Hobbs 10, Jenny McDowell 9, Oliver Clark 9, Will Alexander 7.

Partnerships: 

200 v Newcastle (a) 4^th wkt Jan Ozmen & Jacob McCord (145)

99 v Tynemouth (h) 1^st wkt Sam Ewart & Alex Charnley.

85 v Sunderland  (a) 4^th wkt Jan Ozmen & Ben Hobbs.

88 v Hetton Lyons (h) 1^st wkt Sam Ewart/Oliver Clark/Jan Ozmen.

78 v Sunderland (h) 7^th wkt Ru Fletcher & Oliver Clark.

53 v Chester-le-Street (h) 3^rd wkt Angus Southern & Ben Sidney-Wilmot.

51 v Newcastle (h) 3^rd wkt Jan Ozmen & Sadiq Khan.

62* v Newcastle (h) 4^th wkt Jan Ozmen & Ben Sidney-Wilmot.

Well done to everyone.... partnerships matter but intensity in the field & safe hands matter as much.

Do hope you can be with us at the Senior & Junior Presentation Evenings on Friday 7^th (Senior) & Sat 8^th Oct (Junior) to celebrate our season. Details to be confirmed shortly.

Duncan.