Century Club Winners
15th April 2025
BULLS LAST OVER WIN IN HIGH SCORING FRIENDLY AGAINST BLACKHEATH
15th Apr 2025
BULLS LAST OVER WIN IN HIGH SCORING FRIENDLY AGAINST BLACKHEATH
Sat 12th April, DCCC Nursery ground, Riverside, Chester le Street.
Blackheath 2nd X1 250-3 (40o) Mahi Mahfajul 52, Rhys Saunders 41, Dan Holmes 57* (ret), Rez Karim 51* (ret): Joe Dresser 0-28, Allan Davidson 0-50, Will Young 0-42, David Cragg 0-44, David Edwards 1-37, Jacques Graham 2-54.
South North 2nd X1 252-8 (39.5o) David Edwards 139, Angus Southern 45, Jacques Graham 31: Alex Antunes 1-14, Rez Karim 1-35, Anant Prabu 0-64, Dan Holmes1-50, Hassan Khokhar 3-46, Rhys Saunders 1-43.
SNCC won by 2 wickets.
With grateful thanks to Tom Seymour & DCCC for the use of their Nursery ground on a bright, sunny day on a good wicket, a high scoring game was decided by the penultimate delivery as Allan Davidson struck his first ball over mid wicket for the winning boundary. One ball earlier, David Edwards' magnificent 139 had ended with a catch at long on.
Blackheath chose to bat, Rajesh & Mahfajul faced the right arm seam of Joe Dresser & Allan Davidson. A steady start, 33 off 9 overs as Will Young entered the attack & 67 off 14 as David Cragg started a spell.
Mahfajul was hitting down the ground or over mid wicket but in the 15th over, his first, the medium pace of David Edwards snared Rajesh (19) cutting but neatly caught by Will Young at short 3rd man. The introduction of Jacques Graham in over 18 persuaded Mahfajul (52) to loft hard to deep mid wicket where Jan Ozmen took a good catch, 85-2.
43 runs & 6 overs later Jacques persuaded Saunders (41) to drive over wide mid on where Will Young made ground in from the deep to take a good catch, bending forward,128-3. Left arm spin from both ends as David C & Jacques tempted but the score mounted as the left handed Holmes & right handed Karim accelerated beyond over 33 & although both retired Holmes (57*) & Karim (51*), 100 runs came from the last 12 overs as the ground fielding wilted, catching & run out chances were spurned.
Positively Joe, Will Y & Jacques bowled 8 overs each against more experienced opponents mostly intent on attack, Will Carr kept tidily (19 wides did not help) & three good catches were taken. There was pleasing, audible encouragement from the fielders for the efforts of team mates. Blackheath's innings ended on 250-3.
David Edwards & Jacob McCord faced the seam of Antunes & off spin of Karim. Jacob (5) lofted to mid off in over 3 & Jan (5), aiming to midwicket, was lbw to Karim in over 6, 17-2.
David was finding the cover boundary with regularity & Angus took a liking to Prabu's medium pace such that the score rose to 119 in the 22nd over when Angus (45,47b, 7x4) unexpectedly 'chopped' a full pitch to gully off Khokhar's off spin, David 61*. Then Will Carr (0) strangled down the legside, Adi Bethanabatla (4) mistimed to mid wicket & Joe Dresser (0) edged to first slip, leaving the Bulls 131-6 after 26 overs.
There followed a splendid partnership between David E & Jacques of 76. Both showing attacking intent & running well. David had got to 50 off 59 balls & his 100 came up in 80 balls, grateful for a dropped chance in the deep. The Bulls were 171-6 after 31overs a total that was almost a mirror of the Blackheath innings.
Overs 31-35 yielded 36 runs but in attempting to come back for two Jacques (31,21b,5x4) was run out at the bowler's end. A vital & mature innings at an important time, maintaining the momentum, with drives down the ground & pulls through square leg.
Will Young kept David company as the target became 43 off 5 overs. Driving down the ground & through extra cover, the skipper pushed on & the total had reached 244 at the end of the 39th over. 7 to win, Saunders to bowl off spin: 4 from ball 3 to David but caught at long on from ball 4. A magnificent captain's innings of 139 (100b,18x4,3x6), 2 runs shy of his highest career score, 141* & as a 16year old for Chorley CC 3rd X1.
Enter Allan Davidson to face 2 balls. 'Pigeon' only needed one as he lofted a boundary over mid wicket to win the game. !! C'est magnifique mes amis!!
Lots of good things on show, lots to improve but an important practice on a good wicket with a fast outfield.
The first NEPL Division 2 match is on Sat 19th April, SNCC v Castle Eden (H) win/lose, 90 overs, 1200 start. We hope to see you there.
Duncan.