Bulls comprehensively defeat Burnmoor but fall in Salver to Philadelphia

24th May 2022

NEPL Premier Division no6, (50/50)

Burnmoor 80ao (30.3o) Josh Coughlin 31: Jonny Wightman 0-12, Sean Tindale 1-11, Lee Crozier 2-11, Calum Fletcher 2-28, Oli McGee 4-16.

SNCC 81-1 (11o) Simon Birtwisle 9, Oli McGee 18*, Rob Peyton 41*: Josh Coughlin 1-20.

SNCC won by 9 wickets - 20 points, Burnmoor 0.

Burnmoor, missing Clark & Craig, won the toss & chose to bat on a sunny day. Worthy & Greenwell faced Wightman from the road & Tindale, the Village end. A good opening over from Wighters ended with a lifting delivery & a fast, low chance to second slip not able to be clung onto as Hewi dived forward at full stretch. From the last ball of Tindale's opening over Worthy (2) played on, 8-1.

Brown joined Greenwell & the pair were watchful as both bowlers beat the bat & the wicket showed occasional, variable bounce. After 10 overs, with the score at 22, a double bowling change saw Crozier's first ball induce an outside edge from Greenwell (10) to be caught by w/k Mannikar. In the next over, Fletcher, bowling up the hill, had Pringle (0) lbw to his first delivery, 23-3.

Two overs later this became 28-4 when Brown (11) was bowled off stump by Fletcher. Blunt & Coughlin repaired until, in the 22nd over, Coughlin drove to mid-off, called for a run, only to find non striker Blunt beaten at the w/k's end by a swift & accurate throw from Peyton to Mannikar, 56-5. An over later Maqsood (0) was lbw to Crozier & in the next, the 24th, Coughlin (31, 5x4) driving, was caught & bowled by McGee. A Crozier maiden led to drinks at 70-7.

Immediately after drinks in the 26th, Stephenson charged McGee to be bowled leg stump, next ball Baines was adjudged lbw. Linsley joined Bridge & apart from one boundary to mid-wicket by Bridge, Crozier's magnificently, miserly spell concluded 10-3-11-2. McGee switched ends & from the third ball of the 31st over Bridge charged, swung, missed, to be stumped by Mannikar. 81 all out Linsley 2*, McGee 4-16... we bowled & fielded well..... but was shot selection awry, were minds elsewhere ?

Birtwisle & McGee faced the left arm seam of Maqsood (Village) & Coughlin (road). In the second over Birty stroked Coughlin twice through extra cover, once off the front then back foot, only to be adjudged lbw next ball for 9, to one that seemed to keep a little low, 12-1. Peyton joined McGee &, without alarms, the left & right combination, found the gaps, hit the bad ball & ran well, such that the total was 32 at the end of the 4 th over.

Peyton then accelerated hitting the sla of Bridge for 4 then a 6 straight, 65-1 at the end of the 9th. Three singles off the 10th by Stephenson then Baines (rm) first over, the 11th, went for 13, as the Bulls eased to a nine wicket win from the last ball of his only over. McGee 18* (2x4) Peyton 41* ( 4x4, 1x6), an undefeated partnership of 69 in 30 minutes. 

20 points for the Bulls who rise to third on 87 points behind Felling (105) & Hetton Lyons (120), the latter undefeated after 6, 50/50 matches. The format now reverts to 110 overs, win/lose/draw, for 11 games, then back to 50/50 for the last 5.

The 7th NEPL Prem Div match is at Chester-le-Street on Sat 28th May 110 overs, from 1100.

BANKS SALVER ROUND 2: SNCC V PHILADELPHIA (A) SUNDAY 22ND MAY.

Philadelphia 250-5 (40o) Nikhil Gangta 126, Shahid Khan 40, Shaun Hauxwell 19, Matty Noble 19*: Lee Crozier 2-28, Oli McGee 2-22, David Cragg 1-42, Will Harris 0-50, Jacob McCord 0-28, Rob Peyton 0-46, Sadiq Khan 0-26.

SNCC 67ao (25o) Oli McGee 22, Sadiq Khan 18, Lee Crozier 9*: Shahid Khan 2-4, Adam McGuire 4-13, Nikhil Gangta 3-2.

Philadelphia won by 183 runs.

Beset by the demands of three games next weekend & with many recovering from injury, a much weakened 1st X1 travelled to Phili giving debuts to Will Harris, Jacob McCord & Sam Ewart(w/k), with Rob Peyton available to bowl.

Winning the toss, the Bulls invited the home team to bat. Professional Nikhil Gangta opened with another of the Raine dynasty, Tom; they faced Crozier & Harris. Watchful batting progressed the total steadily to 31 after 9 overs when Raine (11) was caught by Adam Cragg at cover off Crozier.

There followed an accomplished, match defining partnership of 151 between Gangta & Khan. Crozier & McGee provided the control but variations of line & length were punished, 20 wides & 3 no balls assisted, as bowlers Harris, McCord, Peyton, Sadiq Khan & Cragg senior strove to contain unsuccessfully. Heads never dropped & the fielding was keen, despite the onslaught & for a period, a wet ball.

The partnership ended at 182 in the 31st, when Shahid Khan (40) was bowled by Crozier. Pearson (5) was caught by Sadiq off David Cragg at 199 in the 34 th & Gangta's chanceless innings ended in the 36th when Kush hung on well to a skier off Oli McGee. His 126 (94b, 14x4, 4x6) was a very good innings, deft footwork & scoring shots all round the ground. 

34 came from the last 4 overs which ended with Hauxwell being bowled by McGee with one ball remaining of the 40 overs.

SN's reply saw McGee & Sadiq Khan start steadily, 31 off 9 but in the 10th Sadiq (18) was lbw to Khan. 4 balls later Rob Peyton (0) drove at a wide one to be caught by the w/k, & one over later captain Adam Cragg(1) was run out after a communication breakdown with Oli. 36-3.

In the 16 th McGee hit a 6 & was then caught for 22, 54-4. At the same score Sam Ewart (7) & Kush Agarwal (0) were caught by w/k Noble off McGuire, 54-6. Jan Ozmen (5) was then lbw to McGuire in the 19 th at 57. In the next over, Jacob McCord (0) was bowled by Gangta, 57-8. Lee Crozier rolled back the years with two extra cover boundaries in the 24th but in the 25 th , Will Harris (0) was lbw to Gangta, who then caught & bowled David Cragg (1); 67 all out in 25 overs.

After the high of Saturday, a low on Sunday. Given the injury/rehab list & the number of fixtures looming, most grateful thanks go to those who volunteered to play. These cup games are important opportunities for aspiring players to show what they can do. Acknowledging there are many competing claims, consistent availability allied to determined practice, will improve both individual & team performance. We can do it !!

Tyneside Charity Bowl: SNCC v Percy Main (a) Wed 25th May, start 1800

Duncan.