BULLS BOUNCE BACK WITH TWO WINS: T20 FINALS DAY BECKONS, TOP SPOT RETAINED IN PREMIER DIVISION.

1st Jul 2019

Friday 28th June NEPL T20 1/4 final v Washington (h)

SNCC 174-4 (20o: Rob Peyton 64*, Chris Hewison 44, Jacques Du Toit 25, Adam Cragg 24: Chris Hooker 1-32, Mark Watson 1-30, Graeme Race 2-34)

Washington 126-8 (20o: Chris Hooker 42, Josh Wilson 39: Jonny Wightman 1-24, Sean Tindale 0-19, Lee Crozier 1-26, Simon Birtwisle 0-20, Oli McGee 4-15, Michael Craigs 2-16)

SN  win by 48 runs.

Electing to bat the Bulls started strongly with Du Toit taking 16 from Wilson's first over, the second, before Birty (1) was yorked by Hooker with the score at 18. Du Toit (25) struck two more boundaries before being caught by Thompson off Watson, 34-2 in the 4th. Chris Hewison joined Rob Peyton & the pair played positively with Hewison reaching 44 (4x4,2x6: 35b) before being c & b by Race, 116-3 after one ball of the 15th. Rob 40* from 32b at that point, batting nicely with 3x4 + 1x6.

Adam Cragg was busy & the pair advanced the score nicely to 164 when Cragg (24, 3x4 18b) was caught by Sproates off Race. David Edwards struck two fours from 3 balls to leave Rob 64* (6x4, 1x6; 46b,72m) his best innings of the season, controlled, scoring from 19 of his last 21.

Washington also started rapidly & had reached 58 in the 7th when Wilson(39) was caught by Tindale off Crozier. Aided by uncharacteristic misfields & chances going begging, the visitors total had reached 101 in the 13th, including a good spell from Birty for only 20 in 4 overs, when Hickey (13), all singles, was caught by Birtwisle off McGee. 3 runs later, with the first ball of his next over, McGee had Hooker caught by Cragg for 42. Hat trick averted, only 2 came from the 15th. 106-3.

At 114 Michael Craigs had Race (7) caught by Du Toit & at the same score, McGee had Thompson (4) pouched by Edwards. One run later McGee claimed his 4th wicket when Sproates (0) was trapped lbw. 115-6 in the 17th. Wightman returned to have Hebron caught behind by Peyton, in the 19th & in the last over, Craigs bowled Cutter(0). 

A comprehensive win but with things to improve upon. Finals Day is Sunday 14th July at Burnmoor. The first semi final is Burnmoor v SNCC at 1100. Willington & CLS contest the second semi final.

Sat 29th June NEPL Premier Division 11/22: SNCC v Felling (h)

SN 184-9 (58o: Sean Tindale 35, Rob Peyton 35, Adam Cragg 26, Oli McGee 25*, Michael Craigs 16: Paul Leonard 2-34, Dale Shaw 1-28, Gavin Paton 1-18,Chris Nicholls 1-33, Nihal Shilar 4-66)

Felling 89ao (37.5o: Graham Wright 41, Eddie Hurst 10: Jonny Wightman 4-22, Sean Tindale 3-19, Lee Crozier 0-11, Michael Craigs 2-15, Oli McGee 1-18)

Winning the toss & batting, Simon Birtwisle & Chris Hewison faced the medium pace of Paul Leonard & Dale Shaw. On a humid day, it became evident early on that patience was going to be required. The ball did not seem to come onto the bat & the bowling was accurate. At 20 in the 6th Hewison, playing forward (11), was bowled by Shaw. At 24 in the 7th Birty (8), attacking Leonard on the back foot, edged to w/k Hurst.

John Graham (11) joined Tindale & struck 4 nice shots before he too was caught at backward point attacking Leonard off the back foot, the ball lobbing gently to Carroll. 46-3 which soon became 48-4 as Jacques Du Toit (0) was bowled by Gavin Paton playing forward. There followed a spell of 8 overs for 2 runs as Tindale & Cragg defended against the accuracy of Leonard, Paton & Nicholls. At lunch after 32 overs the total was 73-4, Tindale 26* Cragg 10*.

The pattern continued  broken only by Cragg sweeping two boundaries off Shilar in the 36th over. At 96 in the 40th, Tindale's admirable resistance was broken as he was bowled defending by Shilar for an invaluable 35 (4x4, 126m, 110b). At 107 in the 42nd over Cragg (26: 4x4, 82m, 71b) attacking, skied Shilar to cover where Paton took the catch. Rob Peyton & Michael Craigs then put together another important partnership of 31 before Craigs (16 : 32m, 39b) was bowled attempting to swing Shilar to leg. 138-7 in the 52nd.

Peyton & Oli McGee then took the score to 156 before Peyton (35: 4x4, 55m,34b) was caught by a diving Paton at backward point attacking a Nicholls slower ball, another important contribution by Rob. 156-8 in the 55th. Wightman scored a busy 7 before skying to be caught & bowled by Shilar before McGee produced the shot of the innings, a straight driven 6, that clattered the indoor centre one ball later. Lee Crozier's scoop for one, from the last ball of the innings, amused !

Felling's Shaw & Joe Carroll faced the pace of Wightman & Tindale. Defending seemed the chosen option. In the 9th Wightman had Shaw caught neatly by Birty at 2nd slip. 16-1 became 16-2 as Tindale induced an edge from Carroll which w/k Peyton took comfortably. 20-3 at tea as Witherspoon slashed at Wightman to be caught at backward point by Hewison.

It became clear that batsmen were disconcerted by Tindale's pace & the short ball. Hurst (10) was the first to succumb hooking, for McGee to move to his right at mid on to take the catch. 35-4. Shilar (4) fell in identical fashion two overs later with Peyton running forward to take the skied attempted hook, 37-4.  Crozier bowled a mean spell from the Park end (0-11 in 6 overs) before Michael Craigs had Alan Robson (7) adjudged lbw on the front foot in his 3rd over, all of which were maidens. 44-6.

Graham Wright then drove 7 boundaries down the ground, through or over extra cover when McGee & Craigs slightly overpitched before he too succumbed to the short ball, hooking Wightman, for Peyton to take the skied chance. An positive 41 with 9 fours, 85-8 in the 36th. U14 Ben Forster then faced Wightman in his first senior game. From his 5th ball he stroked Wighters though cover for 4, a lovely shot applauded by everyone. Paton (0) was adjudged lbw to McGee before Jonny bowled Forster (4) to end the innings at 89 after 5 balls of the 38th over.

Patience won the day against disciplined bowling on a wicket with a little in it for the bowlers, 4 important partnerships, lots of dots from 48-4, set up a defendable total. 

23 points & a 10 point Premier Division lead over Burnmoor, who defeated CLS, halfway through the season. Third place Tynemouth are 30 points back. Still a lot to do as holidays loom. We must continue.

Sat 6th July: SN v Hetton Lyons (h) 1200: (NEPL Premier Division 12/22.).......with a  BBQ to follow.

We hope to see you there.

DDS.