BULLS LOSE HIGH SCORING T20 SEMI FINAL TO NEWCASTLE AT SUNNY HETTON

19th Aug 2022

                 NEPL Division 2 T20 second semi final: Sunday 14^th August 2022

Newcastle 191-8 (20o) Stephen Pinnington 45, Fin Allen 68, Joe Boaden 29*, George Gibson 21: Gavin Paton 0-16, Allan Davidson 0-37, James Ruddick 0-27, Sree Kanakala 4-35, Sadiq Khan 2-26, Ru Fletcher 1-21, Ben Hobbs 0-27.

SNCC 174-7 (20o) Sadiq Khan 13, Nathan Gough 75, Ryan Sidney-Wilmot 13, Sam Ewart 38*, Sree Kanakala 11*: Harry Phillips 1-28, Finlay Pearce 1-29, Colin Miller 1-34, Joe Boaden 1-40, Marc Wood 1-40.

Newcastle won by 17 runs.

Having seen Sacriston defeat the Lyons in the first semi final, Newcastle won the toss & chose to bat at sunny Hetton. Pinnington & Fin Allen faced the seam of Paton & Davidson. After 6 overs the score had rocketed to 80 without loss as both batters cleared the infield on both sides of the wicket. This included a disastrous only over from James which leaked 27, 3x4, 1x6, 6 wides, 1 no ball. The Bulls conceded 14 wides & 3 no balls in total, 11 coming in the first 6 overs, which was to prove costly. Newcastle conceded only 2 wides & 1 no ball.

Some semblance of order was restored when in Sree Kanakala's second over Pinnington 45 (23b, 6x4, 2x6) was bowled, 118-1. Two balls later S Allen (0) was bowled by Sadiq. In Sree's next Fellows (1) was caught by a juggling James at cover & 4 balls later Fin Allen 68 (38b, 9x4, 3x6) was lbw, 131-4.

This became 134 -6 as Miller (2) was caught by Sree in the deep off Sadiq & then Walker (3) was bowled by Sree. Gibson & Boaden pushed on as Fletcher & Hobbs entered the attack. At 167, Gibson 21 was run out by a direct hit from Ryan, closing in at short mid wicket. At 173 Finlay Pearce (3) was bowled by Ru. But Boaden continued , Ru conceded 14 in the 17^th & Ben, having bowled his first two overs for 9, suffered in the last conceding 18 which included 3 no balls & 2 wides. T20 in the last overs can be unforgiving !

The Bulls innings began with a 6 to mid wicket from the 3^rd ball of the first over by Sadiq. Sadly, a run out mix up saw both at the same end, James (7), as Pearce's throw was ferried to the bowler's end, 17-1. A repeat followed at 36 as Nathan set off & Sadiq (13) did not immediately to be run out at the striker's end. Pressure !

Nathan was driving down the ground in style & Ru chipped in, but at 93 in the 12th Ru (6) was caught & bowled by Miller, swatting an above waist high full toss back to the bowler.  Jacob (4) chipped Boaden & was caught & bowled, 93-4. Nathan reached 53* with a straight 6 but after three consecutive 2's, Ryan (13) was caught by Fellows at long off, Wood the bowler, 113 -5 in the 14th.

Sam Ewart entered & in the 15^th & 16^th struck 23 including 2 sixes, one off Boaden & one off Wood. Sadly, the run out curse struck again as Sam declined 2 & Nathan, diving, did not make his ground, retreating from half way down. A magnificent innings of 75 (45b, 6x4, 2x6), exhilarating straight driving to admire.

Sam & Sree, running well, pushed the score along, another maximum for Sam off Wood but the final two overs amassed only 16 in ones & twos leaving Sam 38*(20b, 1x4, 3x6), a very good attacking knock, & Sree 11*. A brave effort, 174 would usually be good enough to win a t20 but the concession of runs in the power play & the wides & no balls mounted up. Newcastle fielded well in the ring & the deep, the big hits invariably found boundary fielders & the throwing was sharp. 41 runs behind after the power play, we ended only 17 runs short.

Onward...a Roseworth Trophy semi final on Tuesday 16^th August (h) to Felling is followed by 4 important, 50/50, win lose league games, Ashington 20/8, Benwell Hill 27/8, Sunderland 3/9 & finally Hetton Lyons 10/9. Only 12 points separate the top three teams in Division 2. We must continue.

Duncan.