BULLS TAME BLYTH SPIRIT IN CHARITY BOWL

24th May 2023

                 Tuesday 23^rd May 2023: SNCC v Blyth (h): TCB round 1

SNCC 142-7(20o) Sean Tindale 75, Angus Southern 23 Tris Meears-White 11: David Ebdale 1-15, George Finnie 3-39, Harry Clark 2-34, Andy Kemp 0-38, Kevin Thompson 0-13.

Blyth 94ao (19.3o) Gary Cotterill 44, Andy Clark 15, Sam Thornton 9: Gavin Paton 0-9, Jack Netts 2-7, Aaditya Bethanabatla 3-31, Lee Crozier 0-36, James Lunn 2-4, Will Carr 3-6.

SNCC won by 48 runs.

On a sunny evening at Roseworth Terrace the Bulls chose to bat, giving 1^st X1 debuts to James Lunn, Jack Netts, Aaditya Bethanabatla & Will Carr. Sadiq & Sean put on 21 but in the 4^th Sadiq (5) was run out, hitting to mid-on, embarking on a rather optimistic single & comfortably beaten at the bowler's end.

At 29, Alex (4) top edged a pull to square leg & was caught by Ebdale off H Clark. Lunny (0), also pulling, was caught by H Clark off Finnie at 30, 3 down in the 8th.

Then a match defining partnership of 88 between Sean, driving strongly down the ground, over mid-wicket & long on, & Angus. The score rose from 62-3 after 10 overs, rapidly, to 118 in the 16th when Sean's commanding innings ended on 75 (46b, 8x4,3x6), caught by Cotterill in the deep off Finnie. One run later Angus, an important contribution of 23 (24b,1x4) was caught by A Clark, also off Finnie 119-5.

Tris smacked 11 before he advanced & missed, to be stumped by Thornton off Ebdale. Gavin hit a 6 & was then caught by Smith off H Clark. Will, a composed 6* & Aaditya (1*) concluded at 142-7. Ebdale the pick of the attack, 1-15 in 5 overs.

Andy Clark & Alfie Clark faced the seam of Gavin Paton & Jack Netts. Jack got two to bounce & had Alfie Clark (1) miscuing to Lee at mid on at 4 in the 2^nd over & then Smith skying to Sadiq, who made good ground, 12-2 in the 4th :  Jack 2-7, Gav 0-9 both off 3 overs.

Cotterill & Andy Clark fashioned a partnership of 25 before Clark (15) driving, was bowled by Aaditya, 37-3 in the 9th.  No respecter of reputation, Cotterill advanced to Lee & drove over long off 3x6, 18 coming off over 10, & added another to the scoreboard off Aaditya, plus two one bounce 4's. Impressive!

Cotterill's forthright innings (44,36b, 2x4,4x6) came to an end at 81 in the 15^th over, caught at long on by Lunny off Aaditya. Next ball Kemp (0) was caught by Alex, 5 down: three wickets for Aaditya on debut, bravo! At 84 in the 17th, captain Sam Thornton (9) advanced to Lunny to be stumped by Alex, 84-6.

Will Carr, 12 years old, came on to bowl medium pace in the 18^th over. Hitting a good length, H Clark advanced to be stumped by Alex, 92-7. At the same score in the 19^th Lunny bowled an attacking Abbas (4), 8 down, then two runs to Ebdale. In the last, the best action of the evening saw Finnie driving hard back towards the bowler & Will take a wonderful, right-handed catch, low in his follow through !! Magnifique! 9 down.

Two balls later Jack Netts made good ground from mid off towards cover to take a smart catch, dismissing Thompson (0) off Will, who finished with 1.3-0-6-3; a game to remember for Will who retired with the match ball !! Last night, opportunities for young players offered to play & perform & taken.

We look forward to the next round of the Tyneside Charity Bowl which SNCC won in 2018.

Duncan.