BULLS DEFEAT WHITBURN TO TOP THE TABLE BY A POINT

22nd May 2023

           NEPL Premier Division: Sat 20^th May 2023: SNCC v Whitburn (h)

SNCC 216-6 (50o) Rob Peyton 67, Adam Cragg 46, Sean Tindale 40, Sam Ewart 34*: Mason Bell 3-22, Matthew Muchall 1-61, Adam May 0-54, Ewan Jenkins 1-33, Luke Smith 1-39.

Whitburn 157-8 (50o) Muhaymen Majeed 32, Lee Henderson 23, Ethan Chivers 24, Ewan Jenkins 21*: Jonny Wightman 0-39, Sean Tindale 0-30, Oli McGee 4-27, Calum Fletcher 0-26, Lee Crozier 4-25.

SNCC won by 59 runs- 24 points, Whitburn 4.

The Bulls won the toss & elected to bat against a Whitburn team missing key players. Birty & Rob faced the right arm seam of Mason Bell & Matthew Muchall. Not an easy surface to score quickly on & Bell especially bowled a good line & length.

Birty (7) defending, edged Bell to w/k Shields at 37 in the 9th. Nik (0) followed next ball, lbw. At 49 in the 13^th Hewi (3) tried to clear mid wicket but the tall Chivers took the catch, above his head, also off Bell. Cragg & Peyton resisted, running well & taking boundaries when the opportunity arose as Adam May & Jenkins had spells.

An excellent partnership of 67 ended at 116 in the 33^rd when Rob (67, 98b,7x4) who had batted well, was caught by Chivers, high at mid wicket, 4 down. Sean joined Craggy & the pair added 25 before Adam 46 (78b,3x4) advanced to spinner Smith, missed & was stumped. 141 -5 in the 38^th over.

Sam Ewart & Sean pushed on & then accelerated such that 61 were added in 62 balls, including 1x4 & 1x6 hit straight by Sam off Adam May, were added before Sean (40,49b,3x4) attacking, was stumped off Muchall, 202-6 in the 49th. Oli (5*) & Sam, a positive & enterprising (34*, 33b, 1x4 1x6), concluded at 216-6. 45 had been taken off the last 6 overs.

Majeed & Henderson faced the seam of Wightman & Tindale. No luck for them & it was Oli McGee, in the 14^th over, who caught a very good, low catch off his own bowling to dismiss Henderson (23 37b,3x4), 47-1. This became 58 -2 as McGee got one to turn sharply to bowl Majeed (32,59b, 2x4) off stump.

A disciplined spell from Calum, 7 overs for 14 & much playing & missing, restricted the scoring. At 91 in the 30^th w/k Peyton's fast hands took a sharp chance to dismiss Adam May (17) off Crozier. Smith (0) drove the next ball to Cragg at cover, 91-4.

At 104 Bittlestone (3) was caught by Calum at long on off McGee. At 108 Matthew May (3) was stumped by Peyton off McGee. At the same score, Chivers (24, 46b, 1x4 1x6) advanced to Crozier & was also stumped by Peyton.

Bell (8) was caught at long on by Calum off Crozier at 123, 8 down. Jenkins joined Shields & swung the bat finishing 21*(35b 1x4) Shields 10* in a final total of 157-8.

Bowling honours to Oli & Lee, 4 wickets each, a combined 8-52 in 20 overs. Good day for Rob, runs, catches, stumpings; important knocks from Adam, Sean & Sam. Top of the Premier Division by one point but tough games ahead & a very long way to go.

We hope you can join us at Tynemouth on Sat 27^th May, 1100 start, a 110 over game. 

Duncan.