BIG PARTNERSHIP SETS BULLS ON COURSE FOR VICTORY OVER HETTON - NATHAN & RU 'GO LARGE'

27th Jun 2023

    NEPL Division 2: Sat 24^th June 2023: SNCC v Hetton Lyons (h) 105o

SNCC 256-4 dec (51o) Alex Charnley 13, Nick Tomlinson 18, Angus Southern 15, Nathan Gough 112*, Ru Fletcher 83*:G Adey 1-37, A Watson 2-43, E Dixon 1-43, C Burdon 0-61, S Bradbury 0-28, N Worthy 0-41.

Hetton Lyons 113 ao (29.4o) Matthew Tomys 16, Noah Worthy 18, Ethan Dixon 29, David Lowther 32: Gavin Paton 2-18, Ben Hobbs 2-28, Sadiq Khan 4-21, James Lunn 0-27, Nathan Gough 0-13, Ru Fletcher 2-5.

SNCC won by 143 runs - 30 points, Hetton Lyons 1.

From 83-4 in the 25^th over, an undefeated 5^th wicket partnership of 173 between Nathan Gough (112*) & Ru Fletcher (83*), enabling a declaration after 51 overs, then a bowling display that got better, subdued the Lyons to 113 all out as Sadiq's leg breaks bamboozled.

On a warm day at Roseworth Terrace, the visitors won the toss & invited the Bulls to bat. Left handers Charnley & Tomlinson faced the right arm seam of Adey & Watson. Good opening spells from both & having switched back over the wicket, at 25 in the 9th, Adey trimmed Alex's (12) off stump, with one that moved away from him as he pushed forward.

Nick had hit two nice pick-up 4's to square leg & he was joined by Angus who began positively with boundaries to mid-wicket & cover. At 47 in the 14^th Nick (18) mishit Watson above mid off but Bradbury, retreating, made good ground &, after a juggle, completed a fine catch.

At 54 in the 16th, Angus (15), not really in full stride, was adjudged lbw to Watson.  The opening bowlers bowled their full spells of 12 overs, the score after 24 was 83. Nathan had hit 4's straight & through the legside to get to 27, but in the next, Dixon's first ball of spin bounced & Alex W (6) gloved to w/k Tomys, 83-4. 

Ru joined Nathan ; Adey & Watson gave way to Dixon's off spin & Burdon's leg spin. A steady next 5 overs yielded 15. At 34 over drinks, the total was 131, Nathan 50 (8x4), Ru 25 (3x4). Bradbury's left arm seam had replaced Dixon, who switched ends to the Park.

154 at 40 overs with Ru square driving & sweeping 40*, Nathan 58*, driving down the ground or pulling. In the next 11 overs, 102 runs were plundered, Nathan 54, Ru 43 with 5 wides. Burdon, now from the Grove end, & Worthy suffered. 

In over 48 a magnificent bit of boundary fielding by Dixon, palming back, saw a Ru '6' become only a single. Nathan struck 6's, straight & over mid-wicket until another straight maximum brought his century in over 49. Ru swept another boundary & the declaration came at the end of the 51^st over Nathan 112* (135b, 10x4,3x6) & Ru 83* (69b,11x4), a magnificent partnership of contrasting, but complimentary, styles, accelerating well.

Tomys & Worthy faced the right arm seam of Gavin (Park) & Ben (Grove). A rather wayward opening 6 overs yielded 6x4, but in over 7, after a wide, Gavin produced a good one to bowl Tomys (16, 4x4). In the next over, again after a wide, Worthy (18) edged Ben to w/k Alex W, 36-2. Consistency of a sort !

But now both bowled well, only 8 runs & 2 wickets in 6 overs. Moulder(0) was lbw to Gavin in the 13th, & Walker (6) bowled off stump by Ben in the 14th, 43-4.

Sadiq's leg spin began from the Grove & first ball Bradbury's swing edged to Ru at first slip, 48-5, drinks were taken. With mid-on & mid-off up Dixon & Lowther explored the space beyond. Lunny's 3 overs went for 27 & Sadiq's 2 for16. Nathan replaced Sadiq who switched ends to the Park. A flying Ru almost clung on, one handed, to a fast edge, high to his right at slip off Nathan.

In 5 overs the total had doubled to 91 but at 108 in the 25^th Dixon (29,33b, 4x4,1x6), aiming to hit through cover on the back foot, was bowled by Sadiq. This became 109 -7 in the 27th, as Lowther (32,35b,7x4), pushing forward, was bowled by Sadiq. 

Burdon (0), on the crease, was lbw to Ru in the 28th, Adey (2) was caught by Ru at first slip off Sadiq & Watson spooned Ru to Gavin at mid wicket in the 31st, 113 all out.

A comprehensive, & much needed, second win in a row, moving the Bulls up to 8th place in NEPL Division 2. Some good things to build on but, as ever, achieving consistency in length & line vital. Next week's match is against high flying Chester le Street (a) on Sat 1st July 2023, 105o from 1200. We hope you can be there to cheer them on.

Duncan