BULLS ACADEMY DOMINATE AS CHESTER SPILL CHANCES - ANGUS SOUTHERN CENTURY CONTINUES FINE SUNDAY FORM

21st Aug 2023

NEPL Sunday First Division: Sun 20^th August 2023: SNCC v Chester-le-Street (h) 

SNCC Academy 252-4 (40o) Angus Southern 105, Charlie Wilson 66, George McConnell 39: Jake Davie 2-25, Harry Days 0-36, Brett Eagle 0-30, Max Jackson 1-56, Gabriel Hughes-Pinan 0-56, Scott Robson 0-14, Chris Metcalfe 1-18.

Chester-le-Street 164-6 (40o) Scott Robson 43, Liam Cook 31, Brett Eagle 32, James Mathewson 16*: Josephine Nkomo 1-22, Simon West 0-38, George Gray 2-36, George Mc Connell 2-24, Gregor Pearce 0-15, David Cragg 0-21.

SNCC Academy won by 88 runs 18 points, CLS 6.

Continuing his fine Sunday batting form, a century for Angus Southern (105) & 66 to Charlie Wilson, Angus the grateful beneficiary of at least 3 early missed chances in the slip cordon, combined to put together an outstanding opening partnership of 169 after 31 overs. This laid the platform for some attractive stroke play by George McConnell (39) & final total of a challenging 252-4 after 40 overs.

A sunny day in Gosforth, the Bulls won the toss & chose to bat. Angus Southern & Charlie Wilson faced the seam of Jake Davie & Harry Days. 6 from the opening over to Angus, 8 to Charlie in the 3^rd saw the score rise to 31 after 4 overs, but in this period Chester spilled 3 chances, Angus the grateful beneficiary.

Davie & Days bowled 5 each &the score after 10 overs was 51. The rate enhanced a little between 11 & 20 as Max Jackson & Brett Eagle. After 20 overs the score was 96. Gabriel Hughes-Pinan's spin continued with Eagles medium pace. Angus driving through the offside reached 50* with a driven boundary in the 23^rd & Charlie pulling anything remotely short through the leg side saw the score rise to 129 after 26 & in the 27^th Charlie took 14 off Robson's only over also to reach a deserved 50*.

Charlie (66,85b, 9x4,2x6) then fell lbw to Metcalfe & at number 3, left-handed George McConnell's explosive 39 took only 19 balls, as authentic shots were despatched, mainly to the legside boundary. Following his fourth maximum, George (39, 19b, 1x4,4x6) was caught by Eagle off Jackson. 

Jan (1) was bowled attacking Davie, Will Carr (4*) & Gregor Pearce (9*) dropped first ball, saw the imposing total of 252 achieved taking 11 off the last over.

Right handed Cook & left handed Robson faced the experienced seam of Josephine Nkomo & Simon West. Two maidens in the first 6 overs one each to the opening bowlers, 19-0 after 6, but then 15 off the 8^th & also off the 10^th as George Gray's first over suffered more Robson treatment & 8 off George McConnell's first the 11th. 68-0.

George Gray then produced a beauty to bowl the dangerous Robson (43, 32b, 5x4 1x6) in the 12th. The rate slowed & in the 17^th at 84 Cook (31, 47b, 4x4) edged George McConnell's left arm seam behind for Ben Sid to take a neat catch. The George's in tandem bowled until drinks after 20. A tad bedevilled by no balls, in the 19^th George McC enticed a big shot but Atkinson (10) only managed to loft to wide mid on where Will Carr took the catch without fuss. In the 20^th Jackson (4) aimed to hit George G but only managed to hit high to mid wicket where Charlie took a good catch, 96-4 at halfway.

A maiden to George McC after the break, one off George' G's last to finish with 2-38 off 6. George McC finished his good spell with 2-24 from 6 overs. In the 23rd, Gregor's first ball was despatched for 6 to mid wicket but thereafter he was economical. David Cragg began a spell from the Park end & the rate was only at 3's.124 -4 after 30 as Gabriel Hughes-Pinan found it difficult to pierce the field, Eagle drove strongly when the chance arose.

In the 31^st Hughes-Pinan (8) was run out at the bowler's end trying to respond to a sharp call from Eagle but failing to beat George McC's quick pick up & direct hit from mid off, 124-5. Josephine returned & Eagle struck two straight boundaries in the 35th. But in her next he tried again (32, 38b, 3x4 1x6) only for Will Carr to move to his left at mid on & take an excellent catch as he fell, 148 -6.

Mathewson (16*) & Days (6*) completed  the innings at 164-6 after 40. A comprehensive win for the Bulls who take 18 points to CLS's 6. 13 points clear of Gateshead Fell who have a game in hand. CLS have 4 more games to  play as 20/20 midweek fixtures.

One more match for the Bulls on Sun 3^rd Sept v Sunderland (h). We hope you can be there to cheer the Academy on in their last game of a fine season which may be yet be a triumphant one !

Duncan.