BULLS VICTORIOUS AT SUNDERLAND IN 2nd X1 T20 & MEMORABLY AT SECOND PLACED TYNEMOUTH IN THE LEAGUE

13th Aug 2023

      NEPL 2^nd X1 T20: SNCC v Sunderland (a) Friday 11^th August 2023.

Sunderland 120-7 (20o) Ragulan 37, Cooney 21, K Hutchinson25*: Allan Davidson 1-20, James Lunn 1-16, Ben Hobbs 0-28, Sadiq Khan 2-24, Alan Roskilly 0-14, Will Young 2-12.

SNCC 123-2 (17.2o) Alex Charnley 54*, Alex Weetman 16, Will Alexander 48*: Yaqoob 1-12, Kogul 0-31, Dinsdale 1-25, Cooney 0-22, Depak 0-20, Stead 0-6.

SNCC won by 8 wickets....go through to Finals Day, Sun 27^th August.

Some steady bowling saw Sunderland restricted to 120 in their 20 overs, a par score, & then in reply, after Sadiq (0) was caught in the first Yaqoob over, & Alex W (16) had been taken by Hutchinson off Dinsdale at 32 in the 7th, a splendid partnership of 91, featuring very good running, between Alex Charnley (54*) & Will Alexander (48*) saw the Bulls home after 2 balls of the 18^th over. A T20 Finals Day beckons on Sun 27^th August at SNCC, Roseworth Terrace.

            2'S BATTLE TO 16 RUN WIN AT SECOND PLACED TYNEMOUTH.

    IMPORTANT MIDDLE ORDER RUNS & BOWLERS BACKED UP BY GOOD FIELDING & CATCHING MAKE THE DIFFERENCE.

SNCC 213-9 (45o) Angus Southern 15, Will Alexander 42, Alex Weetman 58, James Lunn 27, Sadiq Khan 26: James Carr 3-39, Richard Hay 1-17, Sam Robson 0-52, Daniel Storey 0-34, Shamsur Oraikhil 3-37, Joel Hull- Denholm 1-28.

Tynemouth 197-9 (45o) Dan Thorburn 29, Patrick Hallam 15, Chris Fairley 67, Sam Robson 42: Josephine Nkomo 1-45, Ben Hobbs 0-23, James Lunn 4-33, Sadiq Khan 1-30, Albie McPate 0-22, Alan Roskilly 0-28, Will Alexander 3-13.

SNCC won by 16 runs - 24 points, Tynemouth 7.

Rain caused a delayed start at 1310 & 45 overs per side. The wicket was green, the outfield slow, the wicket cut towards the Pavilion side & the Bulls, with 3 young debutants, were invited to bat.

Left handed openers, Charlie Wilson, on debut, & Alex Charnley faced the right arm seam of Carr (golf course) & left arm of Hay (Preston Avenue). The ball was swinging & Carr delivered several wides in over one, but struck in his second over having Wilson (2) lbw. In his third, Charnley (4) was bowled by one that moved, 14-2.

Angus Southern, (tall, wearing number 1), (15) was positive & hit 3x4 but in seeking to cut Hay in the 12^th edged to w/k Fairley, 36-3. Will Alexander, (tall, also wearing number 1!!... DDS had a serious case of mistaken identity !!) was joined by captain Alex Weetman. Hay, pitching it up, bowled his 9 overs economically for only 17. Sam Robson's off spin replaced Carr & 3 overs later Dan Storey entered the attack. At 23 over drinks, the score was 83-3, Will A (16*) & a very positive Alex W (32*, 5x4).

Storey, Robson & then Oraikhil's off spin began in over 27 which Will drove nicely through mid off twice for 4 in the 33^rd . In the same over, after another Weetman boundary, Alex (58, 69b, 8x4,1x6) was bowled, Captain's knock for the team, 124-4. James Lunn joined Will A & the pair put together a positive partnership of 48 until Will (42, 80b, 3x4) was very well caught & bowled, low down, by Oraikhil on follow through, from a forcing back foot drive.

Sadiq joined Lunny; Robson's 8^th over, the 36th, went for 19 as Lunny attacked but in Joel-Denholm's first over, Sadiq returned for a 2 that was never there & Lunny (27, 23b,2x4,1x6) was run out within 3 yards of the striker's crease ! As if to make amends, two balls later Sadiq cleared the mid wicket boundary !

Ben Hobbs (1) was bowled by Oraikhil at 184 in the 41^st & in the 44^th Sadiq (26,3x4,1x6) having hit consecutive boundaries, fended another short ball, the third of the over, high to w/k Fairley, 209-8. Josephine (8) faced 10 balls & scored off 7 of them before losing her leg stump to a Carr yorker in the 45^th over. Alan Roskilly nudged 3* & the innings closed at 213-9, defendable.

Dan Thorburn & Patrick Hallam faced the right arm seam of Josephine Nkomo (golf course) & Ben Hobbs (Avenue). A steady start saw 34 after 9 overs, Josephine 0-21, Ben 0-12, Lunny entered the attack & took two wickets in his first two overs. 

At 43 P Hallam (15) advanced, missed & was stumped by Alex W. At 50 in the 13^th Thorburn (29,46b,4x4, 1x6) pulled hard to short mid wicket where Ben parried & regathered as he fell to complete a very good catch. Sadiq began a spell from the Avenue & in his second Hull-Denholm (8) pulled hard to mid wicket where a diving Ben caught another outstanding catch, 69-3. At 21 over drinks the score was 79-3.

Fairley, steering endlessly behind point, & Robson then put together a fine partnership of 95. Sadiq switched ends & short spells from Albie McPate & Alan Roskilly, both on debut, saw the score rise to 164 in the 37^th before Robson (42, 64b,4x4) advanced to Lunny & was stumped by Alex W, a crucial breakthrough. This became 168 -5 in his next as Graeme Hallam (2), pushing forward, was adjudged lbw.

Ben returned to bowl two overs for 4 ending a most commendable 9 overs, 0-23, the last a maiden. 7 overs to go, 46 runs needed, 4 wickets left, a lot depended on Fairley. Will Alexander, bowling slow, entered the attack in the 41^st from the Golf Course end & took a wicket in each of his three overs to seal the win. 174 -7 as Tugby (2) was bowled. In the next Josephine, now from the Avenue, persuaded Fairley (67,74b,5x4) to hit towards backward point in the air where Lunny made good ground to take the catch falling forward, 182-7.

Without addition, in the 43^rd, Oraikhil (7) swung Will to deep mid wicket where Lunny, moving in quickly, took a neat catch, 182-8. Josephine bowled a good penultimate over to Carr for only 7 so with one over to go, 21 needed. From the 2^nd ball, the left handed Hay (4) launched Will to deep mid wicket (by the nets) where Alex C took the catch, 9 down; singles only & a wonderful win by 16 runs, Will 3 overs, 3-13.

Praise for the Bulls fielding starts with the fast feet of Alan Roskilly whose boundary patrol towards the houses must have comfortably saved the winning margin; fleet footed, sliding stops, accurate throwing, exemplary! Ben took two very good catches, Lunny two more &, diving at first slip, he almost clung onto an edge off Sadiq, Robson's first ball: two stumpings for Alex W. Fielding matters!! (Having fielded, everyone should come off with a 'plus' number of runs saved.)

Skilfully captained by w/k Alex W; no panicking, the bowling changes & field placings were thoughtful & ultimately successful against the second placed team in Division 2. We must continue.

Looking  ahead:

Sat 19^th August SNCC V Felling (h) 50/50

Sat 26^th August SNCC v Ashington (a) 50/50

Sun 27^th August T20 Finals day at South North

(SNCC v CLS- 1^st s/f: Burnmoor v Hetton Lyons- 2^nd s/f)

Mon 28^th August SNCC v Chester-le-Street (h) 50/50

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

Duncan.