Bulls tame Lyons to go top: Alvin sprinkles stardust on debut:: Another magnificent Crozier milestone

27th Jun 2022

A remarkable day at Lilywhite Terrace as the Bulls defeated leaders at start of play Hetton Lyons to replace them as league leaders, Tshepang Dithole (aka Alvin) made an impressive club debut with 51 & a brilliant run out & Lee Crozier took his 800 th NEPL league wicket.

Hetton Lyons 191ao( 51o) Ben McKinney 60, RF Javed 35, Chris Ralston 23, Patrick Stephenson 18, Robert Talbot 17: Jonny Wightman 2-40, Sean Tindale 2-36, Lee Crozier 2-46, Oli McGee 3-59.

SNCC 193-5 (52.2o) Sol Bell 39, Simon Birtwisle 16, Chris Hewison 23, Tshepang Dithole 51, Adam Cragg 51*: Chris Ralston 1-26, RF Javed 1-32, Patrick Stephenson 2-24, Cameron Grimwood 1-55.

SNCC won by 5 wickets - 25 points, Hetton Lyons 5.

SNCC won the toss & chose to field, at the halfway stage of the 2022 season. Walker & McKinney faced Wightman & Tindale, who combined to bowl as good an opening spell as we have seen this season, only 19 off the first 9 overs before Walker (5) defending, had his off stump trimmed by Tindale, 19-1. The ball nibbled about, some playing & missing but McKinney was composed. 

Clay (2) survived a hard, missed chance in the slips but in the 11th, he played on to Wightman, 27-2.  This became 36-3 in the 15 th as Scott pushed Crozier to cover where Cragg, stooping low, made a difficult catch look easy. McGee entered the attack in over 18 & in his second, the 20th, Martin (8) lofted to Tindale at mid off to be caught, 59-4.

The all left handed partnership of McKinney & Javed batted nicely, McKinney reached 50 from 90 balls & the partnership had reached 67, & the score risen to 126 in the 36th, when Javed (35), driving hard, edged to w/k Peyton off Tindale. In the 38th a moment of magic from debutant Alvin. Talbot drove Tindale strongly towards cover & set off. The ball was expertly parried by a full length dive, a swift pick up & throw with one stump to aim at, a direct hit at the striker's end & McKinney was run out by several yards!! Outstanding ! One of the best pieces of fielding experienced observers have ever seen. McKinney (60, 108b, 5x4, 1x6), a good innings, 136-6.

In the 40th Talbot drove Crozier to cover where Alvin took the catch. Lee's 800th NEPL league wicket, another magnificent milestone! Richard Waite is second on the all time list with 574, Stephen Humble has 547, both now retired. The closest pursuer to date is Graeme Bridge with c 550. 146-7 then a handy partnership of 40 between Ralston (23) & Stephenson (18) before the latter was caught by Ruddick moving in at deep mid wicket off McGee. Two overs later Ralston top edged McGee to Wightman at backward point, 190-9 & one over later Feroz (0) was lbw to Wightman, 191 all out after 51 overs.

Bell & Birtwisle faced the seam of Ralston & the flat off spin of Feroz. An opening partnership of 55 in the 17th saw Sol timing sweetly until Birty (16) was taken at first slip by Scott off Stephenson's left arm seam, moving it away from the right handers. Peyton (3) lofted Javed's slow left arm to Walker at mid off in the 20th & two overs later Bell (39, 66b, 6x4) gloved behind to Clay off Stephenson when one bounced. The wicket still nibbled & patience was required.

Hewison & Alvin posted 38 before Hewison (23, 32b, 2x4,1x6) went back to sla Grimwood & was bowled, 98-4 in the 28th, in the balance. Then the left handers, Alvin & Cragg, batted sensibly, running well, taking ones & twos, occasional boundaries, always up with the rate. The partnership had reached 58 in the 45th when Alvin (51, 69b, 75m, 6x4), was caught at mid off by Scott off Ralston, 156-5. Playing late, finding the gaps, an excellent, controlled innings given a lack of sleep over the previous days of travel.

Tindale joined Cragg & put together a partnership of 37*, the latter ended the match in style taking 2x6 off Grimwood in the 51 st  & another in the 53rd straight over long on & then mid wicket toward the farthest corner. Cragg (51*,72b, 79m, 3x4, 3x6) another excellent captain's knock; overall, a very good team performance.

Bulls now top of the NEPL Premier League by 6 points from Hetton Lyons but with a tough month to come & many league & cup matches to play.

Fri 1st July NEPL T20 1/4 final Whitburn (h) ; Sat 2nd July NEPL Whitburn (a) ; Sat 9th July NEPL Newcastle (h); Sun 10th July round 4 national Northern (h) from 1300.

              BULLS TRIUMPH IN THE WET AT TYNEMOUTH TO TOP T20 GROUP A.

                                            Fri 24 th June 2022 NEPL t20 5/5

Rain delayed the start at Preston Avenue until 1910. 12 overs per side, but another shower curtailed the second innings to only 6 overs with a revised target of 47. SNCC won the toss & chose to field. 

Tynemouth 84-9 (12o) Poynter 16, Kimmitt 12, Snowden 9, Morse 8*, Rahman 7: Wightman 3-22, Tindale 1-17, McGee 1-13, Crozier 2-12, Birtwisle 2-13.

SNCC 47-6 (5.4o) Peyton 10, Bell 6, Hewison 4, Cragg 3, Tindale 21, McGee 3*: Rahman 4-22, Morse 1-6, Longstaff 0-11, Mansfield 0-5, Gourley 0-3.

SNCC won by 4 wickets.

The fielding of both teams was exemplary given that the fast outfield was slick with rain & some good catches were taken. 21 off two before Wightman bowled both Poynter (16), playing on, & Brown (2) in over 3, 27-2. Then for 3 as Rahman was caught by McGee at mid wicket off Tindale. Ben McGee & Kimmitt put on 25 before McGee (5) was bowled by brother Oli, & at the same score 52, Kimmitt (12) was lbw to Crozier.

At 64 Mansfield (7) was lbw to Birtwisle & at 70, Snowdon (9), well held by Bell at long off, Crozier the bowler. At 78 Longstaff (1) was caught by Hewison at deep square leg & at 80 Gourley (1) was caught by McGee at mid wicket. Morse (8*), hitting to backward square leg, as the innings closed at 84-9 after 12 overs.

Peyton began with two boundaries but Bell (6) was caught at deep cover by Mansfield & at the same score, Peyton (10) hit high to deep sqaure leg to be caught by Snowdon, 16-2. Cragg (3) sliced to point off Morse, 20-3 after 3 overs.

Over 4 saw Rahman bowl from the Percy Park end & was pivotal. Hewison (4) hit hard & was very well caught by Snowdon at deep mid wicket diving to his right, 27-4 first ball. Tindale then hit a straight 6, then a 3, Birty was caught at long on, Tindale hit 2 then another straight 6, 17 off the over; 3 to win off the 6th & last. McGee 1, dot, Tindale direct hit run out by Kimmitt for a match winning 21 (2x6), McGee 2 to win it in 5.4 overs. Breathless!

NEPL 1st X1 T20 1/4 final SNCC v Whitburn (h) Friday 1st July, from 1800, exciting stuff, hope you can be there !  

Duncan.