BULLS & NEWCASTLE PRODUCE A THRILLING TIE.

28th May 2024

                       BULLS & NEWCASTLE PRODUCE A THRILLING TIE.

NEPL Premier Division: Sat 25^th May 2024: SNCC v Newcastle (h) 45/45

SNCC 220-8 (45o) Sol Bell 66, Simon Birtwisle 17, Nik Gorantla 13, Chris Hewison 28, Sean Tindale 52*, Will Alexander 14: Rowan Shelton 1-52, George Darwood 0-42, Mohsin Mukhtar 1-27, Woody Wilson 1-18, Levi Olver 0-21, Jacques du Toit 3-31, Matthew Stewart 0-19.

Newcastle 220-9 (45o) Ben Robinson 17, Asher Hart 82, Jacques du Toit 25, Mohsin Mukhtar 33, Rowan Shelton 14, Matthew Stewart 21*: Tom Rogers 3-26, Jonny Wightman 3-48, Lee Crozier 0-30, Sean Tindale 0-57, Oli McGee 2-33, Will Alexander 0-25.

Scores tied: SNCC 16 points, Newcastle 15.

On a sunny Saturday a very close encounter at Roseworth Terrace saw the Bulls & Newcastle play out a thrilling tie. A run out from the last ball as Stenhouse & Stewart attempted to take two to third man with the former unable to beat the accurate throw from Sean Tindale to w/k Adam Cragg.

Newcastle won the toss & chose to field. Simon Birtwisle & Sol Bell faced the seam of Shelton & Darwood. The rate was at 5's & then in the 8^th sla Mukthar's first, Birty (17) aimed to hit over mid off but mistimed to be caught there by Shelton, 40-1.

Nik Gorantla, in his first appearance of the season, looked in good touch but at 66 in the 15^th square cut Wilson hard towards backward point where George Darwood pulled off a stunning catch low to his left in two hands, Nik 13 (2x4), 66-2.

Hewi & Sol going at 5's, doubled the score as Mukthar, Olver (sla) & Du Toit (ob) strove for the breakthrough. At 129 in the 28^th Hewi (28, 36b,4x4) drove Du Toit to cover where Green took the catch & two overs later Sol (66,86b, 10x4), a fine innings, also drove to cover point where Darwood took the catch, 141-4.

Stewart's 3 overs went for 19, Shelton & Du Toit bowled in tandem & in the 36^th Adam Cragg (7) skied Du Toit on the leg side, Shelton taking  the catch. In the next Rogers (4) having hit his first ball straight for 4, hit again but was caught at wide long on by Mukhtar off Shelton, 170-6. At the same score in the next McGee (0) responding to a Tindale call & at full stretch was adjudged run out without facing a ball, Bobby Geen fielding sharply,170 -7.

Sean, who was batting well, driving down the ground & pulling through mid wicket in trademark fashion, was joined by 16 year old Will Alexander. Will showed great good sense in rotating to enable Sean to be on strike. The pair put on 46, when from the third ball of the last over Will (14, 22b) was run out, Bobby Green again the fielder.

The innings ended at 220-8 with Sean 52* 58b, 4x4) another important knock.

Green & Robinson faced the seam of Rogers (Grove)  & Wightman (Park). Second ball, Green (0) was adjudged lbw to Rogers, 0-1. Asher Hart, who was unable to bowl, came in at 3. He & Robinson took the score to 33  in the 8^th when from the last ball of an eventful over from Wightman, Robinson cut hard & Birty held a very good catch, chest high, in the gully.

Du Toit joined Hart & the pair plundered 4x6 in three overs as Crozier & Tindale suffered. But in the 19^th McGee's first Du Toit (25,25b 1x4 2x6) swept to square leg where Will Alexander made good ground to his left to take a very good catch, 85-3.

Hart & Mukhtar settled, Will bowled 3 overs for 10, Oli was in rhythm.  Acceleration came in the period 29-34 after which the score was 154-3. Running well & driving strongly the total had risen to 160 in the 37^th when McGee, in his 7^th over, bowled Mukhtar (33, 55b, 2x4,1x6) 4 down & in the next Hart (82, 119b, 5x4,3x6), who had batted very well, drove Wightman hard to long on where Sean took a good catch at knee height, 173-5.

 Shelton smote & Stewart scampered until in over 42 Tom Rogers produce two consecutive yorkers to bowl Shelton (14) & Darwood (0) first ball, 200-7. One a ball needed to win, getting tense !

Will was trusted to bowl overs 41 & 43 at the end of which 12 were needed from 12 balls. Sean penultimate over went for 6. Wighters began the last over with a full pitch which Olver mistimed back to him to be caught, 9 down. Stenhouse joined Stewart--1, dot, & then from the 4^th ball, a possible run out chance which was not able to be taken. 2 from the 5^th , two to win. The steer to third man saw Sean's return to Adam defeat Stenhouse on his way back for the winning run. 

A dramatic tie, silence on the ground !! Entertaining, both sides probably believed they could/should have won, but honours even. SNCC in third place in the Premier Division on 74 points  8 points behind joint leaders Burnmoor & Tynemouth.

A big week end coming up:

Friday 31^st May NEPL T20 Group F SNCC  V Tynemouth (a) 20/20 from 1800.

Saturday 1^st June NEPL Premier Div, SNCC v Burnmoor (a)1130,110 overs, win/lose/draw

Sunday 2^nd June SNCC v Norton 1300, 40/40 National Club Championship round 2.

We hope you can be there to cheer the Bulls on !

Duncan.