BULLS RUE MISSED OPPORTUNITY AFTER FAST START AT ASHBROOKE.

12th Sep 2024

BULLS RUE MISSED OPPORTUNITY AFTER FAST START AT ASHBROOKE.

Sat 7^th Sept 2024: NEPL Premier Division: SNCC v Sunderland (a) 45/45 win/lose

Sunderland 221ao (44.1o) Charlie Coulthard 57, George Drissell 18, Chris Youldon 42: Jonny Wightman 0-43, Sean Tindale 4-34, Will Alexander 2-48, Oli McGee 2-35, Lee Crozier 2-54.

SNCC 194ao (37.4o) Sol Bell 77, Simon Birtwisle 11, Rob Peyton 17, Adam Cragg 45, Jonny Wightman 13: Micky Allan 1-33, Jack Brassell 2-45, Brett Hutchinson 3-26, George Drissell 1-21, Joe Stuart 1-25, Jack Johnson 2-38.

Sunderland won by 27 runs- 24 points, SNCC 7.

An uncertain looking wicket & overcast conditions encouraged the Bulls to bowl in this penultimate league match of 2024. Fishwick (rh) & Shurben (lh) faced Wightman & Tindale. 10 wides in the first 9 overs were disappointing but two wickets as first Shurben (8) pushed a catch to Cragg at cover in the 4th & in the 6th, Fishwick (13) top edged a hook to long leg where Wightman obliged, 27-2, both to Tindale.

In Alexander's first, the 10th, Drissell, after hitting a boundary to mid wicket, then attempted to repeat but skied to short third man where Crozier pouched, 55-3. Signs of variable bounce were apparent. Alexander & McGee bowled 10 overs in tandem by which time the score had risen to 90 after 19 overs including 14x4.

After a Crozier maiden, Allan (13) advanced to McGee, missed & was stumped by Peyton to give Oli his 400^th NEPL Premier Division wicket. Some going at the age of 27. 95-4 became 113 after consecutive 6's by Youldon off Crozier in the 24^th &  3x4 to Coulthard off Crozier in the 28^th maintained the momentum.

At 149 in the 35^th over Coulthard (57,76b,11x4) pulled Crozier hard to deep mid wicket where Tindale took the sharp chance very well. A splendid innings for his team ending an important partnership of 59 with Youldon.

Another 8 overs of Crozier, Alexander & Wightman saw the score at 186 when Johnson (12) mistimed a slog sweep off Crozier which skied for w/k Peyton to take the catch, 6 down. 4 wickets then fell in the last 5 overs. At 200 in the 41st, Youldon (42, 58b, 3x4,2x6) an exemplary captain's innings in the circumstances, advanced to McGee but the full pitch hit him in front to be lbw.

At 210 in the next Potts (13) swung Alexander but skied towards mid off where Cragg pouched, One run later Brassell (10) was caught by Alexander at long on off Tindale & in the last Hutchinson (6) succumbed to a fast, straight one from Tinners. 221 all out, perhaps rather more than was hoped on the slightly unpredictable wicket. 19 wides , 27 boundaries & 3 sixes showed batting intent but perhaps also a lack of consistency in bowling line & length.

In reply, on a now pleasant evening, Birtwisle & Bell faced the seam of Allan & Brassell. Birty found timing difficult, Sol was on it ! 66 in the 12^th with good rotation & ahead of the rate as Sol cut & drove seven boundaries off Brassell, Allan & Drissell but then pushing forward, Birty (11) edged to second slip off Hutchinson's left arm seam.

Nik(0) perished 5 balls later as one climbed a bit from Drissell & he edged down the legside for w/k Youldon to take a neat catch, 67-2. 79-3 in the 16^th when Hewi (3) unexpectedly drove back to sla Stuart. 87-4 in the 17^th as Tinners (1) got his foot stuck & was deemed stumped by Youldon off Brassell. Unusual for SNCC numbers 3,4 & 5 to last only 15 balls.

Sol sailed on with 3x4 +1x6 until at 107 in the 21^st ,after driving nicely down the ground attempted another only to be caught on the straight boundary by Potts off Brassell, 5 down. 77 (71b 10x4 1x6) Sol had batted beautifully, if only he could have continued.

Rob (17, 44b 1x4) was in sensible mode but at 142 in the 28^th despite being forward, was adjudged lbw to Allan. Was it outside the line? At 144 Will (1) chipped Johnson to mid wicket at the end of the next over, 7 down. 

Cragg & McGee pushed on still ahead of the rate, but at 162 in the 33rd, Oli (4) pulling, skied to mid on. Wighters can bat & he & Adam put on 25 for the 9^th wicket until Adam, having just taken a boundary off Hutchinson & 13 off  the 36^th over, including 1x6 1x4, attempted another bold shot to the longest mid wicket boundary & was caught by Drissell, 181-9.

Still 9 overs to go but Jonny aimed to swing Hutchinson in the 38^th only to sky to cover where Fishwick took the catch, 194 all out. A sort of what might have been, a loss by 27 runs with 7 overs & 2 balls remaining.

17 x 4 +3 x 6 contrasted with the Sunderland innings of 27 x 4 & 3 x 6. It seemed that the home team held their lines & lengths better for longer on a slightly unpredictable surface & that once set, if at all possible, batters needed to try to bat the overs. 

Onward to  the final fixture of an inconsistent Bulls 2024 season with 6 league defeats so far, more than in any other year since 2001.  A home game v Felling on Sat 14^th September 1200, 45/45 win/lose. The Bulls sit 3^rd in the Premier Division on 299 points, one point behind second placed Ashington. Let us finish well please.

Duncan.