BULLS RECAPTURE BATTING MOJO TO SET UP  COMPREHENSIVE WIN AT TYNEMOUTH.

30th Aug 2024

BULLS RECAPTURE BATTING MOJO TO SET UP  COMPREHENSIVE WIN AT TYNEMOUTH.

NEPL Premier Division, Sat 24^th August 2024: SNCC v Tynemouth(a) win/lose, 45/45o

SNCC 329-6 (45o) Simon Birtwisle 37, Sol Bell 32, Nik Gorantla 107, Rob Peyton 77, Sean Tindale 34, Adam Cragg 17: Barry Stewart 0-30, Phil Morse 1-63, Matthew Brown 1-67, Freddie Harrison 1-49, Owen Gourlay 3-53, Josh Moors 0-57.

Tynemouth 205ao(39.5o) Ben Debnam 24, Matthew Brown 55, Joe Snowden 58: Jonny Wightman 3-44, Sean Tindale 2-50, Oli McGee 2-45, Lee Crozier 1-37, Gavin Paton 2-28.

SNCC won by 124 runs -  24 points, Tynemouth 6.

A sunny day at Preston Avenue, a true wicket, smaller boundaries than hitherto & a fast outfield made batting more comfortable. Birtwisle & Bell faced Stewart (rm) & Morse (sla). A fast start as the bowlers offered width & variable length that was punished. 71 in the 10^th but two overs later Sol (32, 33b 6x41x6), who had batted delightfully, edged a back foot force off Gourlay caught neatly by w/k Bowman.

Nik was in prime form & despatched Gourlay twice for 6 to square leg & mid wicket in the 16^th 98-1. Harrison & Morse combined & at 107 in the 19^th Birty (37, 59b, 4x4) was adjudged lbw to Harrison sweeping. Rob Peyton joined Nik & the pair combined to put pressure on the bowlers. Rob launching to long on for 6 off Morse then to square leg off Moors who struggled to find a length.

130-2 at drinks after 23 overs. Nik using his feet to the spinners & driving imperiously down the ground, his 50 coming up in the 27^th over-165-2. He then despatched Moors for 3x4 in over 29, straight & to square leg. Rob contributed equally hitting Moors to deep midwicket & Brown to fine leg. The running was sharp, 191- 2 after 30 overs. Another Nik 6 to square leg off Brown preceded a hard hit chance to cover in the 34^th over, 225-2.

Rob's 50 arrived in the 35^th with 2 to square leg & Nik's 100 came up in the 37^th edging Harrison but then driving through cover two balls later. At 259 in the 38^th Nik (107, 75b, 14x4,3x6) launched Brown to long on where Gourlay took the catch. A sumptuous inning's full of classy shots. A partnership of 153 the third such over 100 in 2024 & Rob has been part of all of them.

Rob's fine inning's (77, 72b,7x4,1x6) ended at 285 in the 42^nd as he aimed to mid wicket but skied Gourlay to cover. Sean then took 20 off Gourlay in the 44^th before being stumped from the last ball of the over. Adam (17) hit 2x6 to the leg side in the last before holing out to deep mid wicket off Morse. The inning's ended at a substantial 329-6, a welcome return to form for a misfiring batting unit of late.

In reply Debnam & Kimmitt faced Wightman & Tindale. At 9 in the second Kimmitt (2) drove Sean to mid off where Jacob McCord, on 1^st X1 league debut, held a good catch at head height. Debnam was positive & survived a sharp chance to third slip off Sean in the 6^th but at 36 in the 8^th Sean found the perfect off stump yorker to bowl him for 24 (4x4).

In the next the Wightman/Peyton combination did for the in form Bowman (7) who, overbalancing, was stumped off a leg side wide, 37-3. Two overs later a repeat as Moors (8) succumbed to the same combination of accurate direction, fast hands & neat footwork, 54-4. Matthew Brown greeted McGee with 1x4 1x6 in the next. Browny continued to score freely as Crozier & McGee twirled reaching his 50 in over 19 driving Lee to  long off. 

But in the 21^st pushing forward he succumbed lbw to Crozier for a splendid 55 (34b 7x4 2x6), 126-5 at 23 over drinks. Gavin Paton bowled a tidy spell from Preston Avenue & in the 26^th Thorburn (9) swung him to deep mid wicket where Oli took the catch, 138-6.

Snowdon & Harrison were busy &  Snowdon reached a deserved 50 in the 32^nd over. But when Wightman returned at the Preston Avenue end, Harrison skied an intended pull high for w/k Rob to retreat & take the catch, 181-7.

McGee persuaded Snowdon (58 78b 6x4) to edge a back foot force to w/k Rob at 191 in the 37th. Stewart (12) forward, was stumped by Peyton off Oli at 198 & in the next Gavin Paton found a yorker to bowl Gourlay (2) 205ao, Morse 6*.

A return to form, all the bowlers played a part in support of the best batting effort as a unit this season. The fielding was exemplary on a fast outfield. The Bulls now 4^th in the Premier league on 244 points 5 behind Burnopfield in second place but 70 adrift of leaders Burnmoor with 4 games to go.

Onward to the Banks Salver 100 finals day Sun 26^th August, second semi final, SNCC v Benwell Hill, at Burnmoor from 1330.

Then Sat 31^st August SNCC v Tynedale (h) 1200 45/45, win/lose &

Sun 1^st Sept SNCC v Benwell Hill (h) 1200, 45/45, win/lose.

We hope you can be there to cheer the team on.

Duncan.