BELL RINGS BUT BULLS SETTLE FOR DRAW AS TASHKOFF TAKES THE HONOURS.

11th Jul 2022

            NEPL Premier Division Sat 9^th July 2022 SNCC v Newcastle (h)

Newcastle 274-8 dec (55.5o) Bobby Green 64, Jesse Tashkoff 68, Jacques Du Toit 55, Matthew Stewart 37, Charlie Robinson 20*: Jonny Wightman 2-45, Sean Tindale 1-51, Oli McGee 2-55, Lee Crozier 1-77, Simon Birtwisle 1-18, James Ruddick 1-25.

SNCC 234-7 (54o) Sol Bell 94, Oli McGee 35, Chris Hewison 19, Adam Cragg 47, James Ruddick 17*: Brodie Glendinning 0-19, George Darwood 2-39, Jesse Tashkoff 3-22, Isaac Unsworth 1-53, Jacques Du Toit 0-36, Will Taylor 0-47, Matthew Stewart 1-10.

SNCC losing draw 10 points, Newcastle winning draw 14.

On the warmest day of the year & with a fast outfield, the Bulls won the toss & chose to field. Green & B. Robinson faced Wightman & Tindale. Robinson (15) struck two boundaries but at 21 in Tindale's second, edged to slip where Hewison diving to his left took an excellent catch. Green & Stewart running well & rotating, moved the score along at 4/over & this continued when the spin of Crozier & McGee combined between overs 14-25. Green reached a good 50 in the 24th, slog sweeps & reverses in evidence.

The introduction of Birtwisle's sla caused Green's downfall in the 28^th when the slog sweep was missed & he was bowled for a very good 64 (84b, 7x4), 112-2. Glendinning (3) perished one over later when a leading edge off Crozier skied to mid off where Dithole took the catch., 115-3. Tashkoff joined Stewart & the pair advanced the score to 145 in the 37th when Stewart (37) was lbw to Ruddick.

There followed a partnership of 93 between Tashkoff & Du Toit, including 7x4 & 5x6, Ruddick, Crozier & McGee all suffering, until at 238 in the 52^nd Tashkoff (68, 8x4,2x6, 76b) was well caught by Tindale, moving to his right at wide long on, off McGee. One over later Wightman got two in two as first Du Toit (55, 45b, 4x4, 4x6) was caught by Alvin Dithole at long on, then Trevaskis (7) by w/k Mannikar, aiming to hook, 249-7. Charlie Robinson (20*) hit straight until Darwood was bowled by McGee at 274 which saw the declaration after 55.5overs. Tough day for the bowlers, but the fielding stood up well with Dithole & Cragg being particularly athletic & run saving.

54 overs to go as Bell & McGee faced the seam of Glendinning & Darwood. The slow left arm of Tashkoff bowled the 7^th at 28-0 & did not bowl a bad ball. At 56 in the 13th McGee (35, 49b, 4x4), who had batted nicely, advanced to Tashkoff & was stumped.  Two balls later Alvin (0) inadvertently chipped gently to square leg where Unsworth took the catch. Tashkoff's 6 over spell yielded only 8 & in company with Unsworth, Du Toit & Taylor kept the score in relative check, 91-2 after 20.

One run out scare notwithstanding, Sol was batting well & reached 50 on the stroke of tea after 26 overs, Hewison 17, 122-3. Changing ends, Tashkoff's full pitch bowled Hewison (19) in the 30th. Cragg joined Bell & as the spin of Tashkoff, Taylor &Du Toit wheeled away the score mounted & the Bulls were ahead of the rate after 40 overs, 181-3 Sol 89* Adam 28*.

Forward momentum was stalled in overs 44-46 when first Sol (94, 122b, 14x4) drove hard off the back foot high to extra cover where Tashkoff took a good catch above his head. One over later Adam (47, 45b, 7x4) & accelerating, drove a low return catch to Unsworth as the bowler followed through. In the next Birty (0), attacking, was bowled by Darwood, 209-6.

The winning draw at 265 now seemed distant & defence became the objective. In the 54^th & last with 8 men around the bat Tindale (8) was caught at short leg as the ball ballooned off bat & pad. Ruddick (17*) & Mannikar (1*) saw out the remaining 5 balls.

Jesse Tashkoff: 68, 3-22 off 13 overs, an accurate spell of slow left arm bowling & a good catch. A fair result, Newcastle 14 points, SNCC 10, Bulls still top of the Premier Division on 245, by 35 points from Hetton Lyons (210), with Newcastle third (205.)

Important games to come, Sun 10^th July SNCC v Northern(h) ECB National Club Championship Round 4, Sat 16^th July SNCC v Felling (a), Sun 17^th July, NEPL t20 finals day at Burnmoor, 2^nd Semi-final: 1300 SNCC v Hetton Lyons after Burnmoor v Burnopfield at 1030. The final begins c 1630.   We hope you can join us.

Duncan