BULLS SECOND NATIONAL JOURNEY ENDS WITH LOSS TO RICHMONDSHIRE

12th Aug 2022

ECB Vitality Club T20 Area Semi final: SNCC v Richmondshire: Sun 7th August 2022

at Woodhouse Grange, York.

SNCC 105ao (19.5o) Sol Bell 30, Rob Peyton 11, Adam Cragg 9, Oli McGee 23: Gary Pratt 1-21, Shaun Charlton 4-19, Harvey Websdale 1-22, Shafiqullah Ghafari 0-18, Sam Wood 2-14, Josh Dowson 2-9.

Richmondshire 107-3 (16.2o) Michael Layfield 40, Robert Carr 31*, Owen Kelly 21*: Jonny Wightman 1-30, Sean Tindale 0-14, Oli McGee 1-16, Calum Fletcher 0-13, Lee Crozier 1-9, Simon Birtwisle 0-24.

Richmondshire won by 7 wickets.

Invited to bat on a dry wicket with what turned out to be variable bounce & dust rising, the Bulls began well taking 18 off the first 8 deliveries, then Rob (11), forward, edged behind to w/k Tom Dowson off Charlton, 18-1 in the second. After a boundary Chris (4) was bowled by Charlton in the 4th, 24-2. Sol (30) had batted nicely, hit 4 & 6 but was then caught by Pratt at long on off Charlton in the 6th, 43-3. This became 44-4 as Alvin (3) mis pulled to midwicket three balls later.

46-5 when Birty (1) was lbw to Websdale working to leg in the next. Adam & Sean were watchful. The wicket was a tad unpredictable but the score had advanced to 65 in the 12th when Adam (9) was well caught low down by w/k Dowson off Wood, 6 down. At 74 in the 14th, after a well struck straight 6, Sean (17) was bowled by Pratt's off break, 74-7.

This became 76-8 as Wighters steered a rising delivery towards third man when w/k Dowson took a fine catch hide & wide to his right. McGee (23) ran singles well & hit 6 to mid wicket before he perished caught by Pratt in the deep off Dowson, 105-9 in the 20th. Calum (6) was caught & bowled by the next delivery, 105ao after 19.5o.

An underwhelming batting display after the frustration of yesterday with some similar features.

Tom Dowson & Pratt faced Wightman & Tindale. A wide, then a well-timed 4 to mid wicket but lbw to the next, 5-1. Layfield struck 3 boundaries in Wighters next & 11 came from Sean's second, 36-1 after 4. At 48 in the 6th Pratt (8) forward, was bowled by McGee. Oli & Lee in tandem slowed the scoring, 57-2 after 10.

The wicket continued to be unpredictable but the singles continued 64-2 after 12. Birty bowled the 13th for 6 & in the next Lee had Layfield (40, 39b, 7x4)) caught by Chris at short straight, mid wicket. Carr & Kelly then accelerated as first Calum then Birty & finally Jonny all suffered such that the winning boundary was struck from the second ball of the 7th over, Carr 31* (37b, 3x4), Kelly 21* (11b, 3x4), comfortable. (It is no comfort to know that Richmondshire were well beaten in the final by home team Woodhouse Grange.)

Work to do, the cup journeys over, a regrouping necessary after a lack lustre weekend during which the standards we have set in all departments were not maintained. Not every wicket will be like Roseworth Terrace, we have to be determined, adaptable,  patient, work the ball around, take the chances on offer & bowl more consistently.

​5 tough league games to go, all win/lose, CLS (h), Eppleton (a), Benwell Hill (a), Sunderland (a), Hetton Lyons (h). We can do this.... onward !

Duncan.​