Academy short of runs as the Hill claim comprehensive victory

30th Jun 2022

SNCC 158-8 (40o) Alex Charnley 27, Eashan Ragbir 33, Oliver Clark 30*, Tris Meears-White 21, Jacob McCord 14, Ru Fletcher 15: Joe Fletcher 2-22, Safiun Diip 1-10, Matthew Lockey 2-30, Fergus Wallace 1-20.

Benwell Hill 3rd X1 159-3 (30.5o) Zain Ahmad 68, Safiun Diip 54, Andy Dawson 15: Jacob McCord 1-27, Jenny McDowell 0-16, Eashan Ragbir 0-19, Jack Netts 0-21, Ru Fletcher 1-16, Oliver Clark 1-31, Angus Southern 2-9.

Benwell Hill won by 7 wickets - 17 points, SNCC 5.

Benwell Hill swept to an easy victory at Roseworth Terrace on Sunday 26th June in only 30.5 overs of the 40 available as the SN Academy posted a total 40/50 runs below par on a good surface, albeit against some accurate bowling.

Winning the toss & choosing to bat, the opening SN partnership between Ragbir (33, 36b) & Charnley had reached a creditable 61 in the 11th before Ragbir top edged a pull off Diip's spin to be caught at square leg. Ewart (4) chipped to mid-wicket 5 runs later, 66-2 & at the same score in the 12th, Charnley (27, 39b) was bowled by J Fletcher.

Clark found it difficult to rotate the strike especially against the accurate Diip, who bowled his 8 overs for just 10, & as the pressure built, first Southern (3) &, after 4 nice boundaries, Meears-White (21, 31b) were run out responding, & then seeking to return for two; 96-5 in the 27th.

McCord hit 14 in 11 balls before he skied to Diip off Lockey, 118-6. McDowell (3) was bowled by Lockey in the 34th , 123-7, so it was left to Fletcher (15) & Clark to rescue the innings as best they could.  A busy partnership of 30 finished at 153 when R Fletcher was caught by J Fletcher off Wallace. Clark 30* (78b) & Netts 1* at the close, 158-8 after 40.

Ahmad & R Mustard faced the seam of McCord & McDowell. The score had reached 21 in the 7th when Mustard (8) was caught by Netts at cover off McCord. A substantial partnership of 70, surviving a dropped catch & average fielding, then ensued between Ahmad & Lockey before Ahmad (68, 57b, 10x4, 2x6) was caught by Clark off R Fletcher.

Will Young bowled a promising spell of 5 overs of inswing for 16 then, at 115 in the 25 th,  Lockey (4) was bowled by Clark. Diip (54, 72b, 4x4,2x6) accelerated until at 153 in the 31st, in what turned out to be the last over,  he succumbed to Southern's leg breaks being caught by Clark at mid-off. One ball later Patel skied for Charnley to take the catch at mid-on, Angus 2-9. Dawson (15*) saw the Hill home comfortably.

Things to learn: batters need to be busier, strike rotation is crucial, length & line consistency from the bowlers please, being switched on in the field for the whole 40 overs & always moving in with the bowler, fielding matters! We must aim to improve... onward mes amis!

An adjustment to the Sunday Division 1 league table points (SN's win at CLS was worth 19 not 10) means SNCC have 74 & are 4th after 6 matches. The next match is on Sunday 3rd July v Newcastle (h), (2nd on 94, having played 7).

Duncan.