BULLS BOUNCE BACK TO BEAT BATTLING BURNOPFIELD

25th Jul 2022

                       NEPL Premier Division Sat 23rd July 2022, SN V Burnopfield (h)

SNCC 237-9 dec (50.2o) Sol Bell 53, Chris Hewison 56, Sean Tindale 44, James Ruddick 52:Matthew Oswell 3-61, Matthew Scott 0-44, James Radcliffe 3-59, Alasdair Appleby 1-49, Archie Cuthbertson 0-17.

Burnopfield 180ao ( 42o) Callum Brown 33, John Oswell 23, Ruairidh Barker 39, Matthew Oswell 26, James Radcliffe 26*: Jonny Wightman 4-71, Sean Tindale 4-61, Calum Fletcher 0-3, Lee Crozier 1-35, Oli McGee 1-9.

SNCC won by 57 runs - 30 points, Burnopfield 7.

Important to bounce back after defeat to Felling, the visitors invited SN to bat on an overcast day after overnight rain & more forecast. Bell & Dithole faced the right arm seam of M Oswell & Scott.

Two Sol boundaries in over 1 set the tone, another 3 to him before in the 7th, when Alvin (6) skied an intended pull to mid on where Gowda took the catch off Oswell, 32-1. Two overs later Peyton (2) slapped Oswell to point, where J Oswell took the catch. (Mitchell Van Burren was w/kpg), 44-2.

Radcliffe began a 9 over spell from the Grove end, two more boundaries from Sol in his first, one to cover, one to square leg 52-2 after 10. Appleby's off spin & Radcliffe continued until in the 25th, two wickets in two balls as first Sol (53, 72b, 10x4), who had batted really well but perhaps had become thwarted by Radcliffe's accuracy, aimed to leg & outside edged to cover where C Brown took the catch. One ball later Cragg was bowled, 91-4.

Hewison took 10 from Radcliffe's 8th & Tindale 10 from Appleby's 7th. One over before lunch Archie Cuthbertson (14), on 1st X1 league debut, bowled his first over tidily for 3, 122-4.

After lunch he bowled 4 more accurate overs for 14, a most creditable spell. Hewi's 50 came up in the 33rd but in the 37th Radcliffe's accuracy was rewarded, Hewi lbw for 56 (85b, 6x4), 160-5. Tindale & Ruddick pushed on, M Oswell returned to join Radcliffe & at 189 in the 43rd Sean, going well, (44, 62b, 4x4,1x6), played on to Oswell via inside edge & pad. 

McGee joined Ruddick & the pair raised the total at a run a ball. James' well made 50 came up in the 49th but in the next over he was lbw, sweeping Appleby for 52 (48b, 7x4), a first NEPL 1st X1 league half century for James, driving strongly down the ground or through cover, a splendid effort in the pursuit of a defendable target, 234-7.

The innings ended with a declaration in the 51st at 237-9 after two unnecessary runouts in 3 balls. Oli's optimism to cover leaving Jonny (1) with no chance & in the next over, attempting two, ran himself out! Oliver!!

The Browns, Paul & Callum, faced Wightman & Tindale. Paul aiming to leg skied to mid off where Wightman took the catch off Tindale, 5-1 after 1.1 overs. Callum & John Oswell were positive , driving or hitting to leg such that the score had risen to 59 in the 11th when Oswell (23) aiming to leg, was bowled by Wightman. Two overs later Van Burren (5) was lbw to Wightman, 65-3, the ball was swinging.

Three wickets fell in 3 overs as first Callum Brown (33) was lbw to Tindale, 73-4: Gowda (5) was then adjudged caught behind by Peyton off Wightman & Appleby (14) bowled by Wightman, a plan worked, 91-6 in the 19th. 

Barker & M Oswell hit well, Crozier & Tindale suffered, but at 151 in the 28th, McGee's first, Barker's (39) slog sweep attempt, skied to be caught by Peyton, 151-7. Two accurate overs by Lee caused Oswell to advance, miss & be stumped by Peyton for 26, 153-8.

At 166 in the 36th Scott(1) edged Tindale, bowling rapidly, to be caught by Peyton, 9 down. Archie Cuthbertson (0) showed commendable courage facing 17 balls from Wightman & Tindale before Sean yorked him, 180 all out in the 42nd. Radcliffe 26* had batted positively, 4 wickets each for Jonny & Sean, we did bounce back !

30 points for the Bulls who retain top spot in the Premer Division by 34 points from Hetton Lyons. Sat 30th July SN v Tynemouth (a), Sunday 31st July SN v Wallasey (a) in the ECB National Club Championship 1/4 final.... on the bus! 

All to play for with 7 tough league games to go, (2 of 110 overs then 5 of 50/50) plus a 1/4 final & an area final (Sun 7th August at Woodhouse Grange) in the two national competitions, we hope you can join us for this exciting journey.

Duncan