BULLS WIN CLOSE ENCOUNTER WITH FELLING

5th Jun 2023

         Sat 3^rd June 2023: NEPL Premier Division: SNCC v Felling (h) 110o.

SNCC 210-5 dec (51o) Rob Peyton 40, Nik Gorantla 21, Chris Hewison 38, Adam Cragg 49*, Sean Tindale 30: Sebastian Allison 2-59, Paul Leonard 0-44, Elliot Fox 1-46, Travis Norris 1-49.

Felling 185ao (52.4o) Andrew Whaits 48, Alan Mustard 17, Oliver Metcalfe 44, Tyler Easton 20, Eddie Hurst 16, Elliot Fox 17*: Sean Tindale 4-35, Calum Fletcher 0-50, Gavin Paton 0-23, Oli McGee 4-28, Lee Crozier 1-42.

SNCC won by 25 runs - 27 points, Felling 5.

On a warm & sunny day Felling invited SN to bat. Rob Peyton & Simon Birtwisle faced the seam of Sebastian Allison (Grove) & Paul Leonard (Park). A watchful start, 2 maidens in the first 4, but at 15 in the 7^th Birty (3) was bowled by Allison, one that seemed to keep a little low.

A steady rate enlivened by consecutive boundaries to Rob in the 11^th 35-1 & 4,4,3 to Nik in the 20th, 57-1. In the next Nik 21, (39b, 3x4) edged an attempted cut to w/k Hurst standing up to Norris's spin. 77 in the 28^th but then all his good work was given away as Rob 40 (105b,5x4) slapped Allison to Fox at mid-off.

Chris & Adam then fashioned a sensible partnership of 61. There was bounce in the wicket especially from the Park end so concentration & careful shot selection were required. Sadly, in the 44^th striker Adam's optimistic call for a sharp single into the offside found Chris (38, 67b,4x4) unable to beat the throw from Kieffer at cover. A good innings from Chris, unfortunately cut short.

Sean was positive launching down the ground & the pair running well, the partnership reached 57 when Sean (30,32b 1x4 1x6) skied to cover off Elliot, 195-5 in the 54th. Sam's (9* 13b 1x6) delightful cameo saw the declaration at 210-5 after 55o with Adam 49* (74b, 4x4).

Norris (lh) & Mustard faced the seam of Tindale (Grove) & Fletcher (Park). A good start from Sean who had Norris (3) edging behind at 6 in the 3^rd over. Then 2 in 2 in the 9^th as first Mustard was very well held at second slip by Nik & next ball, a full pitch had Kieffer lbw, 25-3, Sean 3-21 in a 7 over spell.

Whaits & Metcalfe settled well & although Gavin's 5 over spell went for only 11 & Oli's for 23, runs were coming. 83-3 after 23 but in Lee's first, after a Metcalfe 6 (44, 49b, 4x4 2x6), from the last ball & seemingly in two minds, he miscued to mid-wicket where Oli took a tumbling catch, 92-4 at tea.

Whaits & Easton continued steadily but punishing anything remotely legside as Calum's line suffered. Then two wickets in two overs as Whaits edged Lee to third man from where Sam's return seemed to touch the striker's stumps before hitting the non-striker's wicket with Whaits (48, 86b, 5x4) adjudged run out, much to his amazement; a good innings with good use of the feet.

One run later Easton (20) skied Sean to mid-wicket for Sam to take a straightforward catch, 139-6 after 34 overs. Hurst & Allison sensibly took the score to 164 in the 45^th when an unhappy Allison (10) was adjudged lbw to McGee.

Lee & Sean conceded only 11 runs in 8 overs before Oli returned from the Grove end. At 171 in the 47th Hurst (16) swung & was bowled by Oli. At 183 in the 51^st Leonard (2) did the same, 9 down & at 185 in Oli's next, Hill (1) was lbw; a Bulls win by 25 runs means they remain top of the NEPL Premier Division by 22 points from Chester-le-Street.

A sunny day saw a tense encounter on a pitch with some bounce which ebbed & flowed. SN were indebted to Paul Summerside, the Felling scorer, for his live scoring of the game.

Onward to SNCC v Ashington (a) Sat 10^th June, we hope you can be there.

Duncan.