BULLS INDEBTED TO TINDALE & MCGEE PARTNERSHIP BUT BURNOPFIELD HOLD OUT FOR THE DRAW

22nd Jul 2019

NEPL Premier Division, 14/22 Sat 20th July at Burnopfield.

SN 178-9 (51o: Sean Tindale 90, Oli McGee 32, Rob Peyton 14: Callum Thorp 4-30, Stephen Humble 1-25, Matthew Oswell 3-44, Adam Ahmed 1-38, John Oswell 0-7).

Burnopfield 126-9 (47o: Cole Pearce 29, Matthew Oswell 25, John Oswell 24: Jonny Wightman 3-22, Sean Tindale 0-12, Oli McGee 2-25, Lee Crozier 2-34, Simon Birtwisle 1-24, Jacques Du Toit 0-0)

Winning draw: SN 13 points: Burnopfield 7.

A long, rain shortened, topsy turvy day at Burnopfield saw the Bulls recover magnificently from 34-5 & 62-7 to post a defendable 178-9 thanks to a magnificent 8th wicket partnership of 92 between Sean Tindale (90) & Oli McGee (32), but then just fail to take the elusive final wicket.  Only two Premier Division games reached a conclusion & Burnmoor's victory over Felling saw them move to within 4 points at the top of the table.

Losing the toss, the visitors were asked to bat in bowler friendly conditions. Simon Birtwisle & Chris Hewison faced the experienced & skilful seam attack of Stephen Humble & Callum Thorp. Hewison (4)edged behind for w/k Pearce to take a diving catch in Thorp's second over as the ball moved about. John Harbottle & Birtwisle batted calmly but the rain intervened at 1242 for 19 minutes reducing the game to 55/50. On resumption 4 wickets fell in 5 overs. With the total at 25 Thorp bowled Harbottle (9) not getting forward &  in the next over Birtwisle (11) drove Humble to mid off where Ahmed took the catch. 25-3 in the 13th.

Things became worse in Thorp's 8th over as Du Toit (1) was adjudged caught behind & 4 balls later Cragg (0) hooked too soon & Oswell took the lobbed catch off the back of the bat. Reparations were conducted by Sean Tindale & Rob Peyton. Heavy rain then forced the players off the field at 1345, lunch was taken & the game was reduced to 51/47o.

Facing change seam bowlers Matthew Oswell & Adam Tinnion, calmly the total rose to 62. When, after a boundary, Peyton (14) fenced to be caught behind off Oswell. Next ball Andrew Doig (0) was lbw. 62-7 in the 28th.

Enter a determined Oli McGee who, in partnership with Sean Tindale, put together the second highest partnership for any wicket in 2019, 92 in 20 overs, with an assurance that was pleasing. Running well, Tindale struck Ahmed's first ball for 6 over deep mid wicket & drove nicely down the ground. Accelerating in the last 5 overs, McGee, after lovely cover drives & an eye for a single, (32: 4x4, 61b, 74m) played on to M Oswell, 158-8. 

Jonny Wightman (8*) scampered, Sean launched M Oswell for another six as 11 came from the penultimate over. In the last Tindale (90: 5x4, 2x6, 116b, 159m) was caught at long on by Humble, a magnificent innings, excellent concentration & shot selection, the highest by a 1st team batter this season & from the last ball Lee Crozier reversed Ahmed for 3 to the cheers of the visitors. 178-9, defendable.

Only 19 minutes before tea at 1710, Matthew Oswell & Harry Adair faced Wightman & Tindale. At tea after 4.2 overs Wightman had had Adair (6) superbly stumped down the legside by Rob Peyton & pinned Tom Bolam (0) lbw. 12-2.

Cole Pearce & Matthew Oswell carefully took the score to 58 in the 23rd. Oli McGee had began a miserly spell from the Hobson end in the 10th & Crozier likewise from the football end in the 17th before the latter beat Pearce(29) in the flight & bowled him. At 72 in the 28th Matthew Oswell's occupation ended, lbw for 25 in Birtwisle's second over. Ahmed (11) was positive, hitting two boundaries, before Du Toit took a sharp chance to his left at first slip as Crozier turned one ! 89-5 in the 31st.

Stephen Humble drove his second ball for 4 & at 5 an over the total was gettable. But McGee had Humble (12) caught by Peyton at 112 in the 38th & 7 runs later John Oswell (24), still attacking, was bowled round his legs by McGee. At the same score Tinnion, chasing an unlikely second run, failed to beat John Harbottle's throw from deep mid wicket to be run out without scoring. 119-8 in the 41st.

Jonny Wightman returned &, from his first ball, Rob Peyton produced another outstanding legside stumping to remove the dangerous Callum Thorp (4), 124-9. 29 balls to go but with some close shaves including an lbw shout, Matthew Purdy (4*) & U15 Joel Selway (1*) survived. A long day ended in bright sunshine.

Home games to come but work to do to produce a complete performance. We must continue.

Sat 27th July        Tynemouth (h) 1200

Sat 3rd August     Newcastle   (h) 1200

Wed 24th July      SNCC v MCC from 1030 & 20o from 1615.

We hope to see you there.

DDS.