BULLS 2'S COMPLETE EMPHATIC 10 WICKET WIN OVER CASTLE EDEN.

23rd Apr 2025

               BULLS 2'S COMPLETE EMPHATIC 10 WICKET WIN OVER CASTLE EDEN.

                Sat 19 April 2025: NEPL Div 2: SNCC v Castle Eden (h) 45/45, win/lose

Castle Eden 169ao (44.2o) Martin Dunn 49, Oliver Tudball 23, Alan Unsworth 51*: Allan Davidson 2-25, Danny Collins 0-50, Joe Dresser 0-20, Ru Fletcher 2-24, James Lunn  3-10, David Edwards 3-30.

SNCC 170-0 (30.2o) David Edwards 84*, Nick Tomlinson 62*: Ash Grant 0-20, Jacob Darby 0-36, Alan Unsworth 0-38, Will Iceton 0-22, Charlie Tudball 0-12, Kane Iceton 0-16, James Douthwaite 0-18.

SNCC won by 10 wickets - 24 points, Castle Eden 6.

The visitors chose to bat on a cool day. Dunn & Irwin faced the seam of Allan Davidson & Danny Collins (lm), on debut. Early wides & a boundary in 5 consecutive overs but interrupted by a smart c&b by Allan, low on follow through, to dismiss Irwin (1).

Joe Dresser & Ru Fletcher entered the attack but Dunn & Tudball pressed on until at 89 in the 22nd over Dunn (49, 52b 8x4) was bowled by Ru. In the next over, James Lunn's 2nd, Oliver Tudball (23) was bowled, This began an impressive spell by Lunny who bowled his 9 over spell for only 10 runs accounting for each member of the Tudball family, Chris (0) bowled , Charlie (1) lbw, 102-5.

David Edwards then bowled Kane Iceton (1) & accounted for Will Iceton (2) also bowled in over 30, his third, 110-7. Alan Unsworth was resolute but he lost Douthwaite (4) bowled by Edwards at 124, 8 down. Grant & Unsworth rallied to take the total to168 before Grant (5) was caught by Danny Collins in the deep off Ru. Darby (0) succumbed bowled by  Allan Davidson in the last over, 169 all out. 3 wickets each for Lunn & Edwards, 2 each for Davidson & Fletcher. A 5 over spell from Joe Dresser, also on league debut, unrewarded on this occasion.

The fielding was sharp & commended by Castle Eden, Sam Ewart's efforts at cover in particular. All together a good display.... but 22 wides need attention !!!

David Edwards (rh) & Nick Tomlinson (lh) faced the sla of Ash Grant & rm of Jacob Darby. A life for David in over 2, dropped at point off Darby. After 8 overs Unsworth (rm) began a spell but regular boundaries saw the score mount. David favouring back foot drives & cuts to off & Nick profiting through extra cover. 50 up in 10 overs as Nick stroked consecutive boundaries.

Rotating the strike well, good running taking advantage of a lack of opposition intensity in the field & despatching the bad ball, the score rose to 108 after 20 overs. Will Iceton (rm) had bowled a 4 over spell, then Charlie Tudball (rm) 3, Kane Iceton (ob) 1 & James Douthwaite (rm) 2, to try to achieve a breakthrough but to no avail.

David survived another chance in the 70's but the opening partnership remained unbroken to the end which arrived after 30.2 overs. 170 without loss, David 84* (94b 11x4 1x6), Nick 62* (91b, 6x4) an exemplary partnership.

Tougher games to come in NEPL Div 2 starting with Chester le Street (a) Sat 26^th April, 1200 start, 45/45o, win/ lose, we hope you may be there to cheer the team on.

Duncan.