BULLS THWARTED BY THE RAIN AT CASTLE EDEN.

2nd Aug 2024

BULLS THWARTED BY THE RAIN AT CASTLE EDEN.

NEPL Premier Division: Sat 27th July 2024: SNCC v Castle Eden (a)     w/l/d, 110 overs.

Castle Eden 251-9 (58o) Muhaymen Majeed 18, Nick Sampson-Barnes 65, Bilawal Iqbal 83, Philip Whimpenny 36: Sean Tindale 5-59, Oli McGee 1-45, Simon Birtwisle 0-18, Lee Crozier 2-53, Gregor Pearce 0-16, Chris Hewison 1-45.

SNCC 170-3 (33o) Simon Birtwisle 51, Sol Bell 13, Nik Gorantla 54, Chris Hewison 39*, Sean Tindale 1*: Bilawal Iqbal 0-36, Richard Ede 1-41, Jon Malkin 1-34, Charlie Scorer 1-20, Connor Crute 0-29.

Match drawn: SNCC 16 points, Castle Eden 8.

Seeking to bounce back after two defeats the Bulls invited the home team to bat. Missing captain Cragg, Wightman & Rogers, the visitors gave a 1st X1 league debut to Gregor Pearce (lb/g) & included David Edwards & George Gray, skippered by Sean Tindale. The wicket was green but firm, the weather warm & sunny.

Malkin & Simpson faced Tindale & McGee. From the 5th ball of the first over Sean induced an edge from Malkin (1) which went quickly to Birty at first slip & was taken. 26 -2 in over 9 when Majeed (18) was pinned lbw by a full swinging delivery from Sean.

42-3 in the 13th as Simpson drove Lee Crozier towards mid off where Sean, retreating, took a good catch, over his head. 44-4 in the 17th as Meade (6) pushed forward to Crozier but edged low to Birty at slip; a good start.

Sampson- Barnes & Iqbal then put together an enterprising partnership of 102 batting nicely, withstanding several bowling changes, & taking advantage of 3 chances which were not taken, until at 151 in the 42nd over Sampson-Barnes (65, 94b, 8x4, 2x6) on the crease, adjudged lbw, gave Chris Hewison a first league wicket for c 20 years !

Whimpenny was lively, driving through the offside & swinging to leg, hitting 2x4 3x6 in a 33-ball innings until he missed a straight, full delivery & was lbw to Sean, 200-6 in the 51st over. Ede (6) edged Sean to w/k Rob at 212, 8 down in the 53rd. Crute (5) missed a slog sweep off Oli to be bowled at 231 in the 56th & in the last over Iqbal (83, 108b, 11x4, 3x6) who had  batted splendidly, hit hard & flat towards the deep cover boundary where David Edwards, running to his right, took a superb catch, one handed to  prevent a 6 !!

Five wickets for Sean, 52 overs available. The Bulls reply was  beset by rain delays. Birty & Sol faced Iqbal & Ede but after 5 overs 73 minutes were lost. At 54 in the 12th Sol (13) hit a full toss from leg spinner Scorer straight back to him to be well caught & bowled. Birty (51, 54b, 9x4) had batted well, driving & pulling but at 78 in the 15th drove Malkin high towards mid off enabling Iqbal, at mid on, to run round & take the catch. Another rain delay caused a further reduction to 33 overs with the win draw now at 143.

Hewi had joined Nik & the pair advanced the score well passing the win draw total & aiming to achieve 175 with only a few balls to go when Nik (54, 51b, 7x4,1x6), another encouraging return to form, skied to point off Ede, 169-3. Hewi finishing on 39*(62b, 2x4,1x6), Sean 1*

A winning draw & 16 points lifts the Bulls to 6th with tough games to come. Onward to Sat 3rd August SNCC v Chester-le-Street (h) 110 overs w/l/d.

We hope you can be there to cheer the team on.

Duncan.