MAGIC WEEKEND FOR THE BULLS ! VICTORY AT STOCKTON & IN NEPL T20 FINAL

9th Jul 2018

Three whole team efforts saw the 1st X1 win at Stockton on Saturday 7th July & magnificently a day later, defeating both Benwell Hill & Brandon to retain the NEPL T20 title at Denton Bank.

NEPL Premier Division 12/22.

SNCC 207-9dec (53o) Adam Cragg 52*, John Graham 39, Liam Trevaskis 22, Simon Birtwisle 21: Richard Waite 3-45, Haidar Shafiq 3-52.

STOCKTON 154 ao (40o) Tom Hewison 48, James Ward 42: Michael Craigs 3-24, Lee Crozier 2-58, Liam Trevaskis 2-12, Simon Birtwisle 2-0, Jonny Wightman 1-41.

Being asked to bat, Simon Birtwisle & Sam Dale faced the seam attack of Jamie Harrison & Josh Sowerby. 4 leg byes & a hooked 4 set the tone as Birty motored to 21 (4x4) in the 7th, then in seeking to maintain the momentum was caught behind driving at Harrison. 27-1.

 One run later, Alex Weetman's expansive drive saw Sowerby find his off stump. John Graham settled in to rebuild but at 54 in the 14th, Dale(11) was adjudged lbw to James Ward working to leg. Trevaskis joined Graham & the pair added 37  before Liam, 22, including 5 well struck boundaries, edged Shafiq's spin to w/k Burgum. 

Richard Waite (ob) had already begun a 15 over spell which saw Graham & Cragg able to build a positive partnership of 54 before Waite had Graham caught mistiming to mid on for a valuable 39 (113 mins, 85 balls), then, in the following over, snared Tindale(1) lbw & bowled Peyton(0) to leave the visitors somewhat precariously placed at 149-7 in the 40th.  

Captain Adam Cragg then marshalled the innings & with Michael Craigs (15) took the score to 172 before Craigs was bowled by Shafiq, attacking. Ten runs later Jonny Wightman, after one enormous 6, was caught at short extra, leaving Lee Crozier(3*) to support in a last wicket partnership of 25, Craggy declaring at 207-9 with an excellent 52* (4x4, 1x6, 96 mins, 79 balls) at the end of the 53rd over. By this time England were 1 up! 

With 57 overs available, Tom Hewison & Richard Waite faced the pace of Jonny Wightman & Sean Tindale. 36 off 7 saw Lee Crozier's introduction in the 8th slow the rate & in his third, Waite was persuaded to mistime to mid on for 32, Tindale taking the catch. 56-1 in the 12th. Wightman then had Hooker caught by w/k Peyton for 0, 57-2. 

At 79-2 at the end of the 16th, Michael Craigs began a pivotal spell  from the Grangefield Road end. Left arm over, swinging the ball into the right handers, he bowled Kevin Ward (12), 85-3, then had Joe Hewison(2) caught smartly in the gully by Liam Trevaskis, 101-4. Tom Hewison (48) was holding the innings together & after one fortuitous boundary via a dropped catch, was caught & bowled by Crozier driving, a key wicket. 107-5 in the 30th.

Craigs then bowled Harrison for 2, 110-6, before James Ward attacked. Burgum was adjudged caught behind by Peyton off Trevaskis for 2 at 138. Birty then had 2 lbw decisions in two balls to leave the innings in a mess at 152-9. Trevaskis finished proceedings one over later, the 40th, having James Ward stumped by Peyton, charging, for an enterprising 42,  (5x4, 1x6, 45 balls).

29 points, sees SN top by 34 after 12 matches. A long way to go, but another heartening all round display with different people taking responsibility when it mattered in a nicely rotated attack & fielding mostly of a high standard. We must continue.  T20 awaits!!

Duncan D. Stephen.