DOUBLE OVER WHITBURN SEES T20 FINALS DAY REACHED & PREMIER DIVISION TOP SPOT ENHANCED                                                

5th Jul 2022

.                                  Friday 1^st July 2022 NEPL T20 1/4 final (h)

Whitburn 106-8 (20o) Vishal Tripathi 34, Chris Greaves 28, Lee Henderson 13: Jonny Wightman 0-20, Sean Tindale 1-24, James Ruddick 1-19, Simon Birtwisle 1-17, Oli McGee 2-13, Lee Crozier 4-12.

SNCC 109-4 (15.5o) Sol Bell 14, Rob Peyton 31, Adam Cragg 32*, Sean Tindale 12*: Mason Bell 1-22, Phil Shakespeare 2-28, Chris Greaves 1-17, Rafay Khan 0-24, Adam May 0-8, Elliot Hearn 0-8.

SNCC won by 6 wickets- go forward to finals day on Sun 17^th July with Burnopfield, Hetton Lyons & either Burnmoor or Eppleton. Draw & venue tbc.

The rain had stopped & on winning the toss the visitors were invited to bat. On a slightly greasy surface the ball skidded on & Tripathi & Greaves exploded posting 40 after 4 overs as both Tindale & Wightman suffered in the power play.

At 61 in the 7^th Ruddick bowled Scotland international Greaves (28, 5x4) off stump, slog sweeping. 10 runs later in the 8th, Tripathi (34, 6x4, 2x6) was bowled by Birtwisle, 71-2. The rate slowed as first James & Birty then Lee & Oli combined. Khan (4) advanced to Crozier & was stumped by Peyton, 79-3 in the 11th, next Matthew May (4) was bowled by Lee in the 13th, 89-4. Henderson (13) was well caught & bowled, low down by McGee in the 14 at the same score.

At 99 in the 15^th Smith (8) was lbw to Crozier & three balls later Adam May (2) was caught neatly by Ruddick at deep backward square leg off McGee, 101-7. One run later in the 17th, Shields (3) was lbw to Crozier. Sean & Birty conceded only 4 from the last 3 overs, the 29^th was a maiden, 106-8.

Sol Bell & Peyton faced Mason Bell & Shakespeare. Sol (14, 3x4) drove to mid off to be caught by Smith of M Bell at 21 from the last ball of the third over the 3rd. Alvin (0) got a leading edge to be caught at mid on, 3 balls later, 22-2. Hewison(9, 2x4) was also caught by Smith at 50 in the 6th.

Peyton had been batting nicely 31 (5x4, 27b) but drove to long off to be caught by Hearn off Greaves' leg spin, 74-4 in the 11th. Cragg (32*, 2x4, 1x6) & Tindale (12*) moved the Bulls sensibly toward the target, Adam striking a 6 to mid-wicket to win the game from the 5^th ball of the 16^th over.

                NEPL Premier Division 12/22 Sat 2^nd July 2022 v Whitburn (a)

         SUBLIME CENTURIES FOR BIRTWISLE & HEWISON SEAL 8 WICKET WIN.

Whitburn 226ao (57.2o) Vishal Tripathi 121, Gareth Welsh 18, Adam May 19: Jonny Wightman 2-70, Sean Tindale 1-38, Oli McGee 5-36, Lee Crozier 0-40, Simon Birtwisle 0-5, James Ruddick 2-27.

SNCC 227-2 (45.5o) Simon Birtwisle 114*, Chris Hewison 107*: Mason Bell 2-38, Phil Shakespeare 0-20, Adam May 0-42, Rafay Khan 0-64, Elliott Hearn 0-32, Luke Smith 0-26, Vishal Tripathi 0-4.

SNCC won by 8 wickets - 26points, Whitburn 3.

The wicket was dry & the outfield a touch uneven, with a short boundary towards the scorebox. Whitburn, missing some players, were invited to bat. Tripathi & Henderson faced Wightman & Tindale. 

Tripathi took 5 boundaries, 4 off the luckless Wightman in the first three overs. But missed slip chances in the third over, Jonny's second & in the 4^th off Tindale meant the subsequent century maker had at least two lives !!  Bowling from the road end & bedevilled by no balls, an expression of extra effort, Wightman persevered in a 7 over spell.

At 52 in the 12th Henderson was caught by Birty at slip in Oli McGee's first over.  McGee & Crozier began a spin partnership between overs 14 & 28 at which the score had risen to 106-1, Tripathi 74* (11x4, 1x6). Shields (12) was lbw to McGee from the first ball of the 30^th, , 107-2, & three balls later Khan (0) was caught by Hewison at slip.

Matthew May (10) favoured the leg side but at 133 in the 40th, he was bowled by Tindale. The Whitburn 150 came up in the 45^th over as Welsh & Tripathi took 20 off Tindale & Wightman in two overs before James Ruddick had Welsh (18) lbw in the 48^th , 178-5. In his next over Ruddick had Tripathi (121, 14x4, 3x6 147b) charging, caught by McGee at deep mid on, a good innings.

In the 53^rd Smith (11) was caught at mid on by McGee off Wightman, 197-7. In the 55^th Adam May (19) was bowled by McGee, 220-8. Mason Bell (7) was then caught by Birty at cover off Wightman & Shakespeare was taken by w/k Peyton off McGee in the last over, 226 all out in 57.2o, Oli 13.2-3-36-5.

Sol Bell & Simon Birtwisle faced the seam of Mason Bell & Phil Shakespeare. The 3^rd ball of the first over saw Sol (0), seeking to be positive, drive to mid of to be caught by Hearn. As Rob watched, Birty took 28 off the next 6 overs with 5x4. In the 9^th Rob (5) drove Mason Bell hard to cover where Khan took a good catch, 34-2.

Enter Chris Hewison & the experienced duo batted calmly, seemingly in control. 63-2 after 20o, Birty's 50 in the 28^th over at 89-2, 105-2 after 30o, Chris's 50 in the 33^rd over, 128-2. The bowlers toiled, Khan's spin had an extended spell, the seam of Bell & May, & Tripathi's mixed spin a couple, all to no avail. The introduction of the left arm medium of Hearn & Smith's off spin from the 33^rd made little impact as the acceleration continued & both moved towards three figures.

Birty's 100 came after 40.2 overs, 127b, 139m, 14x4. Hewi's followed after 45.3 overs 109 b,125m, 12x4, 3x6. Birty's 16^th NEPL century, Hewi's 20th, magnificent ! The 8 wicket win was achieved 2 balls later with another Hewi boundary, Birty 114* (142b, 14x4), Hewi 107* (111b, 13x4,3x6). Three centuries in one game, not a bad wicket ! Philadelphia in 2002 (Allenby, Heather, Hewison) & South Shields in 2015 (Muchall, North, Craigs) come to mind.

26 points for the Bulls, 235 points in total & a 27 point lead over Hetton Lyons at the top of the Premier Division after 12/22 matches. A big week end coming up:

Sat 9^th July Newcastle (h) NEPL Premier Division:  Newcastle 3^rd on 191 points.

Sun 10^th July v Northern (h) ECB National Club Championship 4^th round, 1300, 40/40.

Should be exciting, we hope you can join us.

Duncan.