BULLS BATTLE TO DRAW AGAINST CASTLE EDEN.

30th Jul 2024

                   BULLS BATTLE TO DRAW AGAINST CASTLE EDEN.

                                 NEPL Division 2 : Sat 27^th July 2024. 

                                 SNCC v Castle Eden (h) 77o, (reduced) w/l/d.

Castle Eden 192-3 (41o) M Dunn 40, L Simpson 26, K Iceton 23, J Irwin 57*, J Spellman 36: Allan Davidson 0-47, Will Young 0-35, Missy Banks 0-36, Ru Fletcher 3-24, James Lunn 0-45.

SNCC 110-4 (36o) Ru Fletcher 6, Nick Tomlinson 21, Angus Southern 17. Jacob McCord 30, Ben Sidney-Wilmot 26: W Iceton 1-27, A Grant 2-21, T Gorham 1-19, L Simpson 0-15, C Tudball 0-23.

Match drawn - Castle Eden win draw,14 points, SNCC losing draw, 5.

After rain delayed the start to 1430 & the match reduced to 77 overs, the understrength Bulls invited the visitors to bat. Dunn & Simpson faced the seam of Allan Davidson & Will Young. A comfortable start saw Dunn hit anything pitched up & the score rise to 50 after 9 overs but in the 10^th Ru from the Park end caught Simpson (26) on the crease & in front, lbw, 54-1.

Missy & Ru bowled overs 9-16 & in the latter, Ru again gained an lbw decision to the Dunn (40) who thought there was an edge, 77-2. One over after drinks Ru struck again as K Iceton (23) also succumbed lbw, half forward, 102-3.

That was the last success. Lunn & Fletcher bowled tightly overs 21-30 with the score at 118  but in the last 11 overs, running very well, only 17 dots in that time, the score advanced to 191 after 41 overs with Irwin 57* (83b 4x4) & Spellman 36* (57b 1x4) as Missy, Will & Allan plugged away.

Ru the pick with an excellent spell of 11- 4- 24-3 offered control & consistency, others varied in length & direction. Ben Sid kept well, athletically snaring those drifting down the legside.

Fletcher & Tomlinson faced W Iceton (rm) & A Grant (sla). An impassioned appeal turned down in the 2^nd over  against Tomlinson led to some chuntering by the visitors which continued for some overs until the umpire stepped in. Then Ru's (6) pick up to long leg in the third was well held by Grant on the boundary off Iceton, 8-1. 

The bowling was steady giving nothing away & it was hard work for Angus & Nick to push the score along. Singles were taken but in the 14^th Nick (21) swept, the ball ballooned on the  offside to be caught, 42-2. Two overs later Angus (17) mishit Grant to mid wicket offering an easy catch, 45-3.

One over after drinks Alex (5) edged a pull to short fine leg off Gorham, 56-4. Thereafter it was difficult to see how the rate would be increased & although Jacob & Ben sought to attack the fielding in the ring was sharp & very little got through.

Three maidens in 4 overs as Gorham & Simpson's spin offered little to hit. 68-4 after 30 overs left only one course of action, to aim to bat the overs. This was accomplished with a flourish at the end as Ben hit 3x4 & 1x6 & Jacob took 14 off the last over from Tudball, Jacob 30* & Ben 26* at the close.

Results elsewhere meant that the Bulls retained 2^nd spot in Division 2 on 197 points behind Hetton Lyons on 225.

Onward to Sat 3^rd August 2024 SNCC v Chester-le-Street (a) 105 overs, win/ lose/ draw. We hope you can be there to cheer them on.

Duncan.