BULLS RUN CHASE JUST FAILS IN A TENSE FINISH V GATESHEAD FELL

16th May 2023

             NEPL Division 2: Sat 13^th May 2023: SNCC v Gateshead Fell (h)

Gateshead Fell 206-6 (50o) Sam Goodliffe 24, Daniel Hutton 73, Lochlann Young-Hall 71*: Allan Davidson 0-38, Gavin Paton 2-48, Sadiq Khan 1-24, Ru Fletcher 1-28, James Lunn 0-36, George Gray 1-32.

SNCC 196ao (49.2o) Alex Charnley 26, Nick Tomlinson 23, Angus Southern 33, James Lunn 28, Gavin Paton 32: Archie Maxwell 1-20, Richard Smith 2-62, Chris Elliott 4-21, Tom Lugsden 0-26, Sam Goodliffe 0-14, Lochlann Young-Hall 3-35.

Gateshead Fell won by 10 runs - 24 points, SNCC 5.

A little bit of what might have been for the 2's, the visitors chose to bat & a strong partnership of 132 for the 4^th wicket between Dan Hutton (73) & Lochlann Young-Hall (71*), which ended in the 46^th at 180, was the basis of 206-6. The Bulls 59-1 after 12, slipped to 84-5, undone by the tall Elliott's 4 wickets with the w/k up, then, from rebuilding, as James & Gavin accelerated to wanting 18 off 16 balls, only to finish 10 short after two balls of the final over.

Goodliffe & Smith faced the seam of Allan Davidson & Gavin Paton. At 28 in the 7^th Smith (11) chanced a single to mid-off & was beaten at the non-strikers end by a direct hit from Nick Tomlinson. At 45 in the 16^th Sadiq held a good, c & b catch to his left as Goodliffe (24) advanced to drive.

Clark (6) thick edged Ru towards 1^st slip in the 19^th for Ben Sid (+) to take a good, one handed catch, low to his right, 48-3; Young-Hall joined Hutton. In his 20's, Hutton survived a confident appeal for a catch behind off Sadiq, sadly not given. Despite some decent bowling & fielding the pair advanced the score to 180 in the 46^th when Hutton (73,102b,5x4, 2x6) hit Gavin high to long on where Ru took the catch.

In the 48th, Lugsden(2) skied Paton to backward point where George took a good, tumbling catch, 188-5. In the 49^th Elliott drove George to long on where Nick, running in, also took a good catch 193-6. Young-Hall (71* 83b,5x4) & Maxwell (5*) concluded at 206-6. Sadiq, 0-24 in 10 overs of leg spin, the pick of the bowling in a good spell without luck.

Sadiq & Alex Charnley faced the left arm of Maxwell & rm of Smith. In the second over Sadiq (2) missed a full delivery to be lbw to Smith, 4-1. Alex & Nick batted with intent to lift the score positively to 59 in the 13^th when Alex C (26, 40b 2x4) was bowled by Elliott. Pitching it up with some swing & w/k standing up, one ball later Alex W (0) suffered the same fate, 59-3.

In the 15^th Nick (26, 36b 4x4) pushed forward to Elliott & was caught at slip, 63-4. Ru (8) survived two lives before, aiming to cut, he played on to Elliott, 84-5 in the 21st. As Angus & Ben consolidated, the scoring rate dropped. At 115 in the 34^th Ben (6) edged to w/k Devenport off Maxwell. 

At 145 in the 42^nd Angus (33,77b, 2x4) top edged a leg side whip to be caught by w/k Devenport. James (28,37b, 4x4) was going well, 4 nice boundaries through cover & mid-on until at 163 in the 45^th he skied Smith to cover where Hutton took the catch. 

As ever, Gavin entered with purpose, hitting (32, 2x4 2x6) in 20 balls to get the Bulls within range before he too skied to backward point off Young-Hall, 189-9 47.3 overs. Allan (5*) joined George (2) but from the second ball of the last over George skied to backward point off Young-Hall. 

Having bowled & fielded well without luck, a good start, one more senior player innings & perhaps some greater intent/rotation in the middle might have led to success. We must continue!

Onward to Sat 20^th May v Whitburn (a) 50/50, hope you can join us.

Duncan.