VICTORIES AGAINST TYNEDALE & BENWELL HILL REINFORCE SECOND SPOT.
6th September 2024
26th Jul 2024
BULLS MIXED WEEKEND: VICTORY IN THE 100, DEFEAT IN THE LEAGUE.
Fri 19th July 2024 SNCC v Eppleton (a) Banks 100 Salver ¼ final
SNCC 139-8 (100b) Chris Hewison 38, Rob Peyton 21, Adam Cragg 27, Sol Bell 33: Praveen de Silva 3-18, Kieran O'Connor 2-30, Jake Pratt 1-31, Callum Steel 0-23, George Fairbairn 1-35.
Eppleton 103ao (91b) Dean Musther 24, Callum Steel 35, Praveen de Silva 18: Gavin Paton 1-23, George Gray 1-17, Oli McGee 3-24, Simon Birtwisle 3-21, Gregor Pearce 1-17, Joe Dresser 1-0.
SNCC won by 36 runs- go through to finals day, Mon 26th August.
Unusual things sometimes happen-----a delayed start by 13 minutes as a swarm of bees had to be removed from the face of the scoreboard ! The wicket was cut down the hill towards the Pavilion side offering a 40 yard boundary.
The Bulls, who gave 1st X1 cup debuts to George Gray, Gregor Pearce & Joe Dresser, won the toss & chose to bat. Birty & Hewi faced the spin attack of de Silva (sla) & O'Connor (ob).
5-1 after 13 balls as Birty (2) swept but missed to be lbw to O'Connor. 17-2 after 20 balls as Nik (9), attempting a third boundary in succession, was bowled by O'Connor. 3 balls later Oli (0) defending, succumbed, bowled by Pratt, 23-3.
A handy partnership of 47 between Hewi & Rob saw the score rise to 70 after 58 balls when Hewi's quick, legside single was anticipated by the w/k who threw down the non striker's stumps, Hewi (38, 29b 4x4 1x6) pivotal again. 12 balls later Rob (21, 25b, 2x4) attacking, was bowled by Fairbairn, 78-5, (70b) & a need to accelerate.
A dynamic partnership of 60 between Adam & Sol provided the impetus. In the last set of 5 deliveries from de Silva, Adam (27, 16b, 1x4, 2x6) was bowled, next ball Gavin (0) lunged & was also bowled & from the 100th ball Sol (33, 16b, 2x4, 3x6), as with Adam, a positive, attacking knock, was stumped as he advanced; 138-9, seemed a par score on the wicket.
In reply Pratt & Jefferson faced the seam of Paton & the spin of Gray. Jefferson (0) was caught by Sol at mid wicket off the 4th ball. George bowled his first 10b for 11. Musther attacked but at 25 in the 5th Pratt (7) was bowled by Oli, swishing. The 6th set was bowled by Gregor & 4th ball he gained an lbw decision against an unhappy Musther (24, 21b, 3x6), an important wicket.
Steel was equally adventurous & but at 82 in the 14th Birty's second set, he was bowled (35, 24b 2x4 3x6). This became 90-5 (70b) as O'Connor was also bowled by Birty, sweeping. Brown (2) was caught & bowled by George at 95. Pressure on for 3 balls later de Silva (18) launched to long on & was caught by Sol. Three balls later Bute (1) was bowled by Oli, 8 down. Johnson (0) was bowled by Birty after 88 balls & the last wicket went to Joe Dresser.
His first ball in 1st X1 cricket was prodded to cover by Wilson (1) and Adam took a comfortable catch. On the night the spells of Gregor (11 dots in 20b), George (10 dots in 20 balls) & Birty (13 dots in 20 balls) were crucial.
Onward to 100 Salver finals day on Mon 26th August with Burnmoor, Whitburn & Benwell Hill at a venue to be confirmed.
BEN HARMISON & ASHINGTON TAKE THE HONOURS AS BULLS BATTING FAILS TO FIRE.
Sat 21st July 2024: NEPL Premier Division:
SNCC v Ashington (a) 110o w/l/d
SNCC 181ao (54.1o) Simon Birtwisle 21, Chris Hewison 23, Sean Tindale 80, Adam Cragg 12, Jonny Wightman 21, George Gray 8*: Matthew Collins 1-33, Alex Nice 2-47, Cam Nichols 0-22, Ben Harmison 3-14, James Harmison 1-43, Ian Sharkey 1-18.
Ashington 184-3 (40o) Jack Jessop 24, Jack McCarthy 62 *, Cam Nichols 50, Ben Harmison 38 *: Jonny Wightman 1-33, Sean Tindale 0-29, Oli McGee 0-52, Gavin Paton 1-34, George Gray 0-23, Simon Birtwisle 0-10.
Ashington won by 7 wickets - 25 points, SNCC 3.
After the depths of 88-8, partnerships of 34 between Jonny & Sean for the 9th & of 59 between Sean & George for the 10th were heroic but ultimately insufficient to prevent the home side from concluding a 7 wicket win in the 40th over of their reply. Ben Harmison with 3 wickets, a catch, a run out & an undefeated 38 in 16 balls took the honours.
The Bulls chose to bat but at 7-2 in the 4th over got off to the worst possible start. Sol, defending (6) was bowled by Collins in the 3rd & Nik (0) edged to second slip off Nice in the 4th. Birty & Hewi rebuilt steadily, the rate at 3's. But at 51 in the 16th Hewi (23, 40b, 4x4) seemed mightily unlucky to be adjudged lbw to Ben Harmison. Two overs & 3 runs later Birty (21, 50b 3x4) was bowled by one that seemed to keep low, Ben Harmison again the bowler.
Sean & Adam began again but at 73 in the 25th a good piece of boundary fielding & a swift throw to w/k McCarthy saw Adam's attempt to take 3 thwarted as he raced back to the striker's end. In the next over Ru Fletcher (0) edged James Harmison (ob) to McCafferty at slip, 74-6.
88-7 in the 34th as Oli (6) was defeated by an excellent throw from Ben Harmison near the boundary. 5 balls later Gavin (0) hit his first ball, a full toss, back to Sharkey, the bowler, who took a good, high catch in one hand on follow through, 88-8 in the 35th.
Enter a determined Jonny Wightman and he & Sean put on 34 for the 9th wicket, Jonny taking consecutive boundaries off Sharkey in the 37th. But at 122 in the 42nd Jonny (21, 38b, 2x4) edged Nice to w/k McCarthy. George Gray batted at 11, but he is not a number 11, & in company with Sean (30*) the pair put on 59 for the 10th wicket in 12 overs. Sean struck 4x6 with George playing straight & running well. From the first ball of the 55th over Sean was caught at deep gully off Ben Harmison for a superb 80, (107b, 2x4 4x6), George's resolute 8* (30b) very commendable.
In reply Jessop & Nichol faced Wightman & Tindale. At 13 in the 5th Nichol (3) edged Wightman to w/k Cragg. At 41 in the 13th Jessop (24, 47b 3x4) also edged to w/k Adam off Paton. At 43 in the 16th an impassioned appeal for a catch behind as McCarthy seemed to edge Paton, Adam flying high to his right to take a superb grab one handed &, after the umpires conferred, was turned down deeming a bump ball.
In the next 5 overs only 5 runs were scored as Oli & Gavin bowled tightly. Thereafter a slight increase in the rate despite several bowling changes so that when tea was taken after 28 overs the score was 99-2 McCarthy 31*, Nichols 36*.
The steady rate continued until at 136 in the 35th Nichols (50, 57b 10x4) was run out as Sol produced an excellent throw. A positive innings of intent which was then matched by Ben Harmison. He settled & then in the 38th struck Oli straight for 4x4, 162 -3. In the next Jonny was dispatched for 4 then 6 &, in what turned out to be the final over, Oli conceded 10. Jack McCarthy 62* (117b, 7x4), Ben Harmison 38* (16b, 6x4 1x6), emphatic at the end, a win by 7 wickets cementing second spot & leaving the Bulls in 8th.
Our talented team is not firing at the moment. We need to restore some self belief. Tough games to come beginning with:
Sat 27th July SNCC v Castle Eden (a) 1130 110o w/l/d.
Sat 3rd August SNCC v Chester-le-Street (h) 1130 110o w/l/d
Sat 10th August SNCC v Newcastle (a) 1130 110o w/l/d
Sat 17th August SNCC v Burnmoor (h) 1200 win/lose 90o
We hope you can be there to offer your support.
Duncan.