BULLS DEFEAT FELLING TO STAY JOINT 4TH IN NEPL DIVISION 2. - JOSEPHINE NKOMO 3 WICKETS IN 9 BALLS, 58* FOR ALEX WEETMAN

21st Aug 2023

               Sat 19^th August 2023, SNCC v Felling: NEPL Division 2, 50/50

Felling 134ao(37.2o) Graham Wright 22, Hash Hemat 24, Callum Wright 37: Gavin Paton 1-26, Josephine Nkomo 3-25, Sadiq Khan 2-23, George Gray 1-20, Albie McPate 0-25, James Lunn 3-10.

SNCC 135-4 (26.4o) Jacob McCord 10, Charlie Wilson 24, Alex Weetman 58*, James Lunn 22*: Callum Wright 0-21, Brad Lowery 1-47, Hash Hemat 2-30, David Hill 1-19, Kurt Plumb 0-13.

SNCC won by 6 wickets - 24 points, Felling 2.

Despite a strong wind sweeping the ground, the outfield was still wet in places after all the recent rain but the wicket was fine & the match started on time, a tribute to Craig & Liam. The Bulls won the toss &  invited the visitors to bat. Tony Trotter & Kieran Gilmore faced the seam of Gavin Paton (Grove) & Josephine Nkomo (Park). Brian Parker was the sole umpire.

A watchful start, 10 runs in 5 overs & then an eventful over in the 6th. Trotter (7) drove the first ball from Josephine to cover where Nathan took a comfortable catch. 4 runs to Robson through mid wicket, 3^rd ball Robson (4) palpably lbw on the crease, 14-2, dot, wide, dot, then an effortless pick up 6 to square leg by Graham Wright, 21-2.

In Josephine's next Gilmore (3) edged ball 2 behind for w/k Alex W to take a neat catch, 27-3. In the 11^th Graham Wright (22, 13b, 2x4,2x6) hit Gavin for 2, then another powerful 6 to mid wicket, before driving to cover next ball where Nathan took another straightforward catch, 44-4.

46-4 after 12, Sadiq (lb) & George Gray (ob) bowled 8 overs for 23 nicely in tandem. At 63 in the 21^st Hill (5), fully forward & sweeping was adjudged lbw to Sadiq. At the same score Stamper (12) mistimed an on drive to be caught & bowled comfortably by George, 63-6.

Hash Hemat & Callum Wright then batted sensibly. Sadiq 6-3-13-1 gave way to Albie McPate in the 25th, George's spell ended 6-0-20-1, 91 -6 at drinks. 

Albie & Josephine took up the attack but after two overs James Lunn's off breaks started a spell from the Park end. Albie finished a 5 over spell for 25 & Sadiq returned at the Grove. 116-6 after 31 overs as both C Wright & Hemat found  the boundary. But in Lunny's 3^rd two wickets. Hemat (24, 43b,2x4,1x6) launched to long off where Gavin, moving in & then retreating, held a splendid catch falling backwards, 120-7. Three balls later Lowery (0) was bowled by Lunny missing a full pitch & losing his middle stump, 120-8.

C Wright (37,42b,3x4) then attacked Khan & took 8 runs in two overs before he too perished, hitting high to long off where Nathan held his 3^rd catch with aplomb, 134-9. Max Lowery (2) swung & missed to be bowled by Lunny in the 38^th over, 3 wickets in 11 balls for him, Felling 134 all out. An almost exemplary performance in the field from the Bulls, one drop & two half chances spurned.

At 1455 Jacob McCord & Charlie Wilson faced  the seam of left arm Callum Wright (Park) & right arm Brad Lowery (Grove). Steady beginnings but driving not risk free, the ball not quite coming onto the bat. Jacob (10) explored some aerial routes before he drove & edged Lowery to Plumb at 1^st slip in the 10th. Angus (3), somewhat inadvertently, steered to gully off Hemat in the next, 27-2 & in Hemat's next, Nathan (6) from only 4 balls, drove but edged behind to w/k Stamper, 39-3.

Charlie continued to restrain his attacking instinct & was joined by Alex W. Hill's leg break then seemed to york Charlie (22, 44b, 3x4) off stump, 72 -4 in the 16th. Alex eased the nerves by striking Lowery for 4 x 4, as he pitched short, on both sides of the wicket, taking another off Hill, 94-4 after 21 overs.

The game was almost gone as Plumb was given two overs of off spin, 13 runs  ensued, Lunny pulling 2 x 4 in the 25th. Drinks were  taken at 116-4. Alex reached a deserved 50 cutting the returning B Lowery for his 8th boundary. Wright had switched to the Grove end but Lunny pulled him for 6 to mid wicket & in Lowery's next Alex followed up pulling 4,4, & dabbing 3, Lunny took a single to win the game by 6 wickets from the 4^th ball of the 38^th over.

Another Captain's innings from Alex 58* (47b, 10x4) well supported by Lunny 22*( 29b,3x4,1x6) at a crucial time in the chase. The Bulls stay joint 4^th with Hetton Lyons on 237 points. Four league games to go & an important T20 finals day to come.

Looking ahead: 

Sat 26^th   Aug SNCC v Ashington (a) 50/50

Sun 27^th  Aug NEPL Div 2 T20 finals day at SNCC

                  1^st Semi final     SNCC v Chester-le-Street.

                  2nd Semi final   Burnmoor v Hetton Lyons.

                  Final there after.

Mon 28^th Aug NEPL Div 2 SNCC v Chester-le-Street (h)

We hope you can be with us for a sumptuous Bank Holiday weekend of cricket to cheer the Bulls on. We must continue!

Duncan.