BULLS VICTORIOUS AGAINST CASTLE EDEN: MCGEE & GORANTLA SHINE

20th Jun 2023

 NEPL Premier Division: Sat 17^th June 2023: SNCC v Castle Eden (h) 110o

Castle Eden 168 ao (47.1 o) Jonathan Malkin 33, Phil Wimpenny 49, Oliver Sampson-Barnes 34: Jonny Wightman 2-39, Sean Tindale 2-37, Calum Fletcher 2-17, Oli McGee 4-28, Lee Crozier 0-42.

SNCC 169-6 (39.2o) Nikhil Gorantla 104*, Chris Hewison 40: Bilawal Iqbal 2-58, Keith Bailey 0-17, Jonathan Malkin 0-34, JP Meade 3-46, Phil Wimpenny 0-9.

SNCC won by 5 wickets- 24 points, Castle Eden 4.

A good, all round bowling performance in which Oli McGee took 4 wickets for the 5^th time in 2023 was followed by another master class from Nik Gorantla who scored his third century in 4 innings with 104* to add to 103 v Tynemouth & 134* v Ashington. The Bulls were pleased to welcome Shayne Moseley for his debut.

On a warm day, the visitors were invited to bat. Malkin & Simpson faced Wightman & Tindale. At 15 in the 6^th Simpson (8) edged behind off Jonny to give Rob the first of 4 w/k catches. At 38 in the 14^th Irwin(5). defending was bowled by Oli's second delivery.

Three wickets then fell in 4 overs. At 55 in the 19^th Meade (10). skied Calum  to deep mid on  & was caught by Shayne. One run later Malkin (33 64b 4x4) was caught by Birty at slip, also off Calum. Bailey (0) was bowled in Oli's 5th, 55-6 in the 22nd.

Sean returned to the attack & had Nic Sampson-Barnes (5) edging to Rob at 68. Lunch was taken at 81-6 after 31 overs. At 93 in the 36^th Iqbal (14) edged behind off Sean. This became 109-8 when Unsworth (5) was trapped lbw by Oli.

Wimpenny & Oliver Sampson-Barnes attacked putting on 59 for the 9^th wicket. Sean, Lee, Oli & Jonny all suffered as Wimpenny 49 (40b, 8x4,1x6) playing good shots & Sampson-Barnes 34 (29b,2x4,4x6) applying the long handle effectively, until at 168 Sampson-Barnes was caught by Lee at  long on off Jonny & at the same score, two balls later, Wimpenny was caught by w/k Rob off Oli.

Calum's accurate spell of 9-4-17-2, taking the important wickets of in form Meade & Malkin, was most effective.

In reply Birty & Shayne faced the seam of Iqbal & Bailey. At 5 in the 3^rd over Shayne (3) defending edged to second slip to be caught by O Sampson-Barnes at off Iqbal. Nik stroked 6 x 4 but with the score at 35 in the 9^th Birty (4) was lbw to Iqbal.

There followed a match defining partnership of 87 between Nik & Hewi. 89-2 in the 21^st as Hewi hit Malkin's off spin for 4 & 6. 117-2 in the 24th as Nik stroked 2x4 & 1x6 off Meade's medium pace. At 122 in the 26^th Hewi 40 (47b,6x4,1x6) was caught by Irwin at mid wicket off Meade, another bedrock innings from Chris.

Rob (4) joined Nik but, after one boundary, in the 30^th he was caught by Simpson off Meade, 139-4. Nik continued fluently, 9 off the 33^rd & 5 off the 34^th when Sean (1) edged to first slip to be caught by Unsworth off Meade, 159-5.

Adam (6*) but the winning boundary came from Nik with ball 2 of the 40th. Nik 104* ( 101b,20x4,1x6), Clive, who watched, summarised another excellent innings thus " assured, crisp shots all round the wicket, particularly through the offside & straight, harsh on anything short or over pitched, defended astutely, chanceless ". Amid a good, all round team effort, we salute his special contribution.

After 9 games, the Bulls march on at the top of the Premier Division with a 43 point gap to second placed Chester-Le-Street & 45 to third placed Felling. There is a long way to go. Player availability & results each week seem to have surprises in them. We must continue.

We hope you can join us again on Sat 24^th June when SNCC face Hetton Lyons (a) 110 overs, 1100 start.

Duncan.