BULLS GAIN COMPREHENSIVE WIN OVER BURNMOOR. - GRAY SPINS ANOTHER WEB

11th Jul 2023

            Sat 8^th July 2023: NEPL Div 2: SNCC v Burnmoor (h)

Burnmoor 124 ao (30.1o) David Armstrong 17, Joe Guest 39, Jack Cumersdale 15, Steven Walt 14, Christian Henderson 13: Allan Davidson 0-27, Gavon Paton 3-30, George Gray 5-27, Sadiq Khan 2-24, Ru Fletcher 0-13, James Lunn 0-1.

SNCC 127-4 (21.1o) Sam Ewart 75, Alex Charnley 9, Angus Southern 1, Alex Weetman 26*, Sadiq Khan 5, James Lunn 5*: James Hewitson 0-30, Christian Henderson 0-19, Steven Walt 2-18, Steven Forster 0-21, Daniel Reed 2-15, Joe Guest 0-29.

SNCC won by 6 wickets - 23 points, Burnmoor 1

A comprehensive win for the 2's in which George Gray took his second '5 for' of the season & Sam Ewart blasted 75 to see the Bulls home in only 21.1 overs, dodging the rain.

With the forecast uncertain the Bulls asked the visitors to bat. Armstrong & Guest faced the right arm seam of Davidson (Grove) & Paton (Park).  A fast start saw 20 after 3 overs but at 25 in the 4th, Armstrong (17,14b 3x4), cutting, was caught by Charnley, diving forward at point, off Gavin.

In the 6^th Gavin bowled Wright (2) as he defended & at 45 in the 8^th Forster (1), attacking, was caught by George Gray at square leg, also off Gavin, 3 down. In the 9^th, George's first, Cole's (2) big drive, skied to mid on where Alex W took the catch.

Gavin's 6 overs showed 3-30 but then In a delightful spell of 11.1 overs, 3 maidens, George bowled unchanged from the Grove end. Flight, variations of pace with turn, & complemented by Sadiq's leg breaks, the pair exercised some control, the total only at 94 after 20 overs with 7 wickets down.

At 68 in the 13^th Read (6) sweeping was caught by Alex C  at deep square leg off George, 5 down. Two runs later opener Guest (39,32b,6x4) cutting was nicely caught by Ru, low off Sadiq at first slip.

A partnership of 24 between Cumersdale & Walt (14) ended at 94 in the 20th, when the latter, skied a full toss to be caught by Ru at first slip off Sadiq. In the next over, & 4 runs later, Ru took his third sharp reaction catch at slip, via Sam's arm, this time off George, as Cumersdale (15) drove hard, 98-8.

At 113 in the 27th, Hewitson (13) went back to George but was beaten for pace & bowled & although Henderson hit 3x4, he succumbed to the first ball of the 32^nd, when a flat drive to mid on, was juggled & then caught by Sadiq off George, 124 all out.

Sam Ewart (rh) & Alex Charnley (lh) faced the seam of Hewitson & Henderson. Another fast start, 26 from three overs, Sam 25 of them with 5 4 often pulling but also straight. 38 off 7 overs prompted a double bowling change as Forster (rm) & Walt (ob) took over. In the 10th, spinner Walt enticed Alex (9) to advance & miss to be stumped by w/k Cole, 44-1.

Angus (1), carrying an injury to his back, saw a leading edge lob back to bowler Walt in the 10th, 49-2. Sam & Alex W then fashioned a dynamic partnership of 52. Reed (rm) & Guest (rm) entered the attack in overs 15 & 16. 9 from each of the next two, including a 6 to Sam to backward square leg until in the 19^th Sam (75, 68b,11x4 1x6) was caught by Wright at deep square leg off Reed, 101-3. An innings of positive intent, taking on the short ball & putting the bowlers under pressure.

17 runs from the 20^th as Alex W struck 12, including a 6, pulled to deep square leg from his first ball & Sadiq 4. With rain threatening, in the next over, Sadiq (5), aiming to win with one blow, skied & was caught by w/k Cole off Reed. A boundary to Lunny (5*) & Alex (26*) saw the Bulls home after two balls of the 22^nd over.

A comprehensive win which sees the Bulls in 7^th place in NEPL Div 2 on 152 points.

Looking ahead:

Sat 15^th July NEPL Division 2: SNCC v Newcastle (h) 105o, from 1200.

We hope you can be there to cheer the Bulls on.

Duncan.