BULLS WINNNG WEEKEND IN T20 AT BURNOPFIELD & LEAGUE AT  ASHINGTON

13th Jun 2023

.     NEPL Banks 1st X1 T20: Group C: SNCC v Burnopfield (a) 20/20

SNCC 154-6(20o) Simon Birtwisle 17(rno), Nathan Gough 23, Adam Cragg 25, San Tindale 47*: Finlay McGurk 2-22, Dan Hogg 2-42, Archie Cuthbertson 1-28, Paul Brown 1-27, Max Moen 0-30.

Burnopfield 127-8 (20o) Callum Brown 29, Dan Hogg 36, Cole Pearce 21: Jonny Wightman 0-29, Sean Tindale 0-26, Oli McGee 1-11, Lee Crozier 2-11, Simon Birtwisle 3-22, Sadiq Khan 2-16.

SNCC won by 27 runs 6 points.... 3 wins, 18 points, through to ¼ finals.

SN won the toss & chose to bat. Rob Peyton & Simon Birtwisle faced Finlay McGurk & Dan Hogg. At 21 Rob (8) attacking, was bowled by McGurk. Birty (17*) felt a twinge & retired not out. At 44, Hewi (7) attacking was caught by w/k Pearce off Hogg.

An important partnership between Nathan, driving down the ground & Adam took the score to 83 in the 11th over when Nathan (23, 14b, 2x4 1x6) launching, was caught at mid-on by McGurk off Brown. At 94 Adam (25, 25b,3x4) was bowled by Cuthbertson, 4 down.

Sean played well, striking the ball down the ground in trademark style & in company with Sam put on a vital 51 for the 5^th wicket when, at 145 in the 19th over, Sam (11,17b) was caught by Cuthbertson at long on off Hogg. At 154 Sadiq (1) was also caught by Cuthbertson, this time at cover, off McGurk, the innings ending at 154-6.

In reply, Callum Brown & Dan Hogg faced Jonny Wightman & Sean Tindale. 50-0 after 5 overs augured well but the next 15 overs of spin were telling. At 67 in the 9^th over Hogg (36, 22b, 4x4 2x6) was bowled by Lee. Two runs later Brown (29, 31b,3x4 1x6) was well caught by Nathan at long off, Oli the bowler.

79-3 as Sam Dinning (1) lobbed back to Birty. 86 -4 when Harrison (3) top edged in the air to Rob behind the stumps off Lee. 100-5 in the 15th over as Saunders hit Sadiq to Oli at long on. At 106 Pearce (21,23b,1x4) was bowled, trying to reverse sweep Birty.

Two wickets fell at 114, Brown (5) hit high to be c & b by Sadiq & McGurk (5) was bowled by Birty, 114-8. Moen (3*) & Weston (8*) saw the score to 124 at the end of 20 overs.

Three wins in the group, SNCC now go to the ¼ finals on Fri 30^th June v Burnmoor/Felling (h).

                BULLS CHASE 254 AT ASHINGTON TO WIN BY 7 WICKETS.

NEPL Premier Division Sat 10^th June 2023: SNCC v Ashington (a) 110o 

Ashington 254-8 (58o) Jack Jessop 46, Mitchell Killeen 52, Sean McCafferty 28, Jack McCarthy 31, Jeremiah Louis 51: Jonny Wightman 1-38, Sean Tindale 0-42, Calum Fletcher 1-42, Oli McGee 4-44, Lee Crozier 2-84.

SNCC 255-3 (45.2o) Nikhil Gorantla 134*, Chris Hewison 32, Adam Cragg 58*: Mitchell Killeen 1-48, Matthew Collins 2-57, Cam Walker 0-57, Cam Nichols 0-67, Ben O'Brien 0-24.

SNCC won by 7 wickets - 25 points, Ashington 5.

A hot & sunny day at Langwell Crescent, the wicket looked flat, the outfield fast, Ashington were without key players, the Bulls won the toss & the home team were invited to bat in this third win/lose/draw game. Jessop & Nichol faced Wightman & Tindale. A good start saw the total at 62 after 13 overs without loss. Finding the ball beyond the scoreboard boundary proved a distraction.

At 68 Jessop (46,57b,6x4) who had used his feet well to the spinners, drove McGee towards extra cover where Nik, moving to his left, took the catch. 5 runs later Nichol (20), pushing half forward, was lbw to McGee, 73-2.

Killeen & McCafferty batted well to take the total to 146 in the 37^th over when McCafferty (28) hit Lee to long off where Cal took the catch. Two balls later O'Brien (0) edged behind to Rob & at 154 Killeen (52, 75b 8x4) who had also batted nicely, fell lbw, playing slightly across the line to a full delivery from Jonny, 5 down.

McCarthy & Louis built a partnership of 48 before McCarthy (31) was lbw to Oli, sweeping. At 206 Nichols hit hard toward short mid-wicket where Birty pulled off a stunning, one-handed catch off Oli, 7 down. Louis attacked reaching 51 (60b,3x4,1x6) when his off stump was trimmed by Calum, as he swung, at 248. Sharkey 15* & Collins 4* concluded the innings at 254-8 off the maximum 58 overs.

Peyton & Ewart faced the right arm seam of Killeen & Collins. At 23 Rob 11 (20b,2x4), playing to leg, was adjudged lbw to Collins. After a glorious 6 to mid wicket off Killeen, Sam 18 (43b,1x4,1x6), defending, edged behind off Collins, 38-2 in the 14th.

Hewi joined Nik & the pair took full advantage of variations in length especially driving the spinners down the ground. Hewi (32, 58b,4x4) defending, got a good one from Killeen at 143 in the 33^rd over, an outstanding partnership of 105, Nik 73. No respite for the spinners Nichols, Walker or O'Brien.

Nick went from 50 to 80 in 13 balls, picking the length quickly, playing late with fast hands past point & hitting the spinners straight this was a consummate display. Adam was equally effective driving through extra cover, sweeping, cutting & pulling such that the total, 161 after 35 overs, rose to be 191 in the 38^th when Nik reached a deserved 100 (89b,13x4,2x6), Adam 27*.

The pair pressed on & Adam reached 50*with an extra cover drive, 230 in the 44^th. The rate continued & Nik hit the winning 6 runs off Nichols over long on from the second ball of the 46^th over. Nik 134*(110b, 17x4,4x6) & Adam 58* (41b, 6x4) an undefeated partnership of 112, in which both shared equally, magnificent!! (and all on one linear scoring sheet !)

25 points leaves the Bulls top of the Premier Division by 23 points from Felling, & 43 from third placed Chester-le-Street...a long way to go !

Onward to Sat 17^th June, SNCC v Castle Eden (h) 110 overs from 1100, we hope you can be there to cheer the Bulls on.

Duncan.