BULLS TRIUMPHANT IN BANKS BOWL: ANDY DOIG ON FIRE !

5th Aug 2019

SNCC 272-9 (40o: Andrew Doig 94, Sam Dale 60, Alex Weetman 55, Cal Fletcher 20*: Cam Skinner 2-51, Stephen Pattinson 4-34, Matthew Storey 1-43)

Ashington 124ao (29o: Adam Gardiner 18, Matthew Storey17, Alex Storey 22, Cam Skinner 19*:Cal Fletcher 1-17, Sam Dale 2-22, Ru Fletcher 1-28, Andy Doig 1-3, Will Varley 0-11, James Ruddick 1-16, Sree Kanakala 1-8, Patrick Hatcher 2-6)

SNCC win by 148 runs.

On a rain threatened day at Langwell Crescent, Man of the Match Andy Doig lit up the Banks Bowl final with a sparkling innings of 94 in an opening stand of 157 with Sam Dale(44*) in only 20 overs. Driving the ball strongly down the ground or hoisting effortlessly over mid wicket Andy passed 50 in 38 balls, 40 minutes & had reached 94 (9x4, 5x6, 59b,70m) when unfortunately mistiming a sweep to lob a catch gently to short fine leg off the slow left arm of Stephen Pattinson. A magnificent innings !

Sam Dale complemented with an assured 60 (6x4, 80b,98m). David Edwards (4) was adjudged lbw at 164 & at 198 Sam drove to long off. James Ruddick (4) was stumped by Luke & Ru departed to a first ball lbw as the innings stalled. 214 -5 in the 34th. At 225 in the 34th Ben Sid (2) was yorked by Skinner. Alex Weetman (34*) was joined by Cal Fletcher & the two put pressure on the fielders for the first time with some excellent running until, at 256, Alex was very well caught by a diving Alex Storey at deep mid wicket for an important 55 (5x4, 1x6, 55b,53m). 

Cal continued to be busy but the fielding stood up well & two direct hit run outs accounted for Patrick Hatcher (0) & Will Varley (2). The innings closed at 272-9 after 40o. Stephen Pattinson's 4-34 was the pick of the bowling showing that pace off the ball was the answer. Cam Skinner retrieved his figures in a second spell up the hill, 2-18 from 4o.

Anxious to get twenty overs in to make a game Cal Fletcher & the slow left arm of Sam Dale opened the bowling. From the Pavilion end, Cal bowled Levinson (0) with the third ball of the first over with one that seemed to keep low. Sam Dale's first 4 overs went for 7 & at 24 w/k Ben Sid retrieved a missed take to turn, & with a direct hit, run out James Harmison (12) at the striker's end.

At 42 in Sam's 6th, Alex Weetman took a well judged catch on the boundary at deep mid wicket to dispose of Adam Gardiner (18). Three overs later, one ball after being hit for 6, Ru bowled Turnbull ( 8). Two runs & one over later Ben Sid caught an outside edge from Matthew Storey (17) off Sam Dale, 64-5 in the 16th.  Sam, 8 overs 2-22. The clouds gathered, Andy Doig's off breaks bowled over 18 & skipper Josh Robinson for 0. 

At the end of the 20th over Ashington were 76-6 & facing a mountain. Will Varley bowled 4 overs of seam for 11, James Ruddick 3 for 16 & the wicket of Alex Storey who skied to be c & b, 104-7. Patrick Hatcher had two wickets in two balls as Luke was lbw & Pattinson bowled first ball. 112-9 & Sree Kanakala finished the innings, after three balls of his second over, when Michael Thewlis hit hard towards deep mid wicket where Alex Weetman, running in, made very good ground to take the diving catch. 124 all out in 29.3 overs. 

Comprehensive & inclusive as all batted & 8 bowlers bowled. & the rain, thunder & lightening stayed away.... (until at least 2000 in North Tyneside !) A first cup success for the Club in 2019. Well done everyone. Onward, a 24 point lead in NEPL Division 2 with Benwell Hill in second to play in two weeks time & a stronger CLS a week later. We must continue!

DDS.