BULLS GO THIRD WITH WHITBURN WIN.

20th Jun 2024

                            BULLS GO THIRD WITH WHITBURN WIN.

NEPL Division 2: Sat 15^th June 2024: SNCC v Whitburn (a) 105o (1200)

Whitburn 137ao (45.4o) Zac Smith 21, Matthew Mallaby 21, Alex Mapstone 25: Gavin Paton 0-19, Will Alexander 2-15, Allan Davidson 1-27, Nathan Gough 2-21, George Gray 3-25, Ru Fletcher 2-13.

SNCC 140-5 (26.1o) Ru Fletcher 42, Alex Charnley 16, Angus Southern 35*, Nathan Gough 26: Ian Elliott 0-24, Alex Mapstone 1-34, Ewan Jenkins 1-21, Harry Kennedy 3-29, Luke Smith 0-19, Zac Smith 0-12.

SNCC won by 5 wickets - 24 points, Whitburn 2.

The Bulls won the toss &, with the weather uncertain, invited the home team to bat. Zac Smith & Paul Shields faced the right arm seam of Gavin Paton & Will Alexander. There was a little in the wicket & the odd one bounced. Five maidens in the first 9 overs & then in the 10^th Shields (4) was caught by Ru off Will head high at first slip, 22-1.

Mallaby & Z Smith were careful, the rate at 3's & the partnership had steadily reached 42 when, at 64 in the 21^st over, Smith (21) top edged a pull to mid on and was caught by Will Alexander off Nathan Gough. 4 balls later, in over 22, Mallaby (21), pushing forward, was bowled by Allan Davidson, one that moved away to hit top of off.

Three wickets then fell in four overs. May (0)on the back foot inside edged to be bowled by Gough in the 23rd, Bittlestone (4) missed a dab and was lbw to George Gray in the 24^th & Luke Smith (9) top edged a sweep to be caught at 45 by Davidson off Gray in the 26th, 79-6.

A partnership of 18 saw Quinan & Jenkins stop the rot but at 97 in the 32^nd Quinan (11) was lbw to Ru Fletcher, full & straight. At 106 in the 36^th Jenkins (11) drove to extra cover and was caught by Alex Charnley off Fletcher, 106-8. Kennedy & Mapstone resisted adding 31 before Mapstone (25) miscued a pull which lobbed to point and was caught by Gough off Alexander & without addition, in the next over, Kennedy (11) was caught by Geroge off Will, 137 all out.

A good bowling display in which Gavin went wicketless but bowled his 11 overs for only 19 with 5 maidens targeting the off stump. Will, 3 maidens & two wickets, was accurate, Allan picked up a good wicket, Nathan continued his recent good form & George got into a groove for his 3 victims. Five  dropped catches however bedevilled the innings, w/k Craig having a difficult day.

In a hurry as the weather threatened, Ru Fletcher & Alex Charnley faced the right arm seam of Elliott & Mapstone. 16 off 4  then 28 off 6. Ru hit Elliott for 3x4 in the 7th, 40-0 going nicely. At 48 in the 8^th Charnley (16, 19b, 2x4) clipped off his legs to square leg and was caught by Jenkins off Mapstone.

62 -2 in the 11^th as Ru (42, 36b,7x4) swung Jenkins (lm) to deep square leg to be caught by May. Angus had hit boundaries in the 10th, 13th & 14^th overs but then David Edwards (8) succumbed at 77, slapping a pie to mid wicket to be caught by Quinan off Kennedy's leg spin. 

Nathan Gough plundered 4,6,4 off Luke Smith (ob) in the 17^th & then 4,2 off Kennedy in the next. But at 111 in the 20th Nathan (26,16b,5x4, 1x6) drove to short extra and was caught by Shields off Kennedy.

James Ruddick (0) hit to long off and was caught by Mapstone off Kennedy in the 22nd. It was getting dark, rapid drinks were taken & then Angus and Will struck Kennedy for 12 in the 26^th before  Angus hit the winning boundary off  Z Smith (rm) from the first ball of the 27^th over. A  positive batting display enabling a win by 5 wickets, Angus 35* (71b, 5x4) & Will 11* (7b,2x4) in only 26.1 overs.

The Bulls leap to 3^rd in Division 2 on 121 points just one behind 2^nd placed Hetton Lyons & 6 behind leaders Chester-le-Street. Onward to Sat 22^nd June NEPL Division 2: SNCC v Sacriston (a) 105 o, 1200, we hope you be there to cheer the team on.

Duncan.