MIXED FORTUNES FOR 2'S IN LEAGUE & CUP

18th Jun 2018

NEPL DIVISION 2. Sat 2nd June (a)

SNCC 99ao (40.2 o) M Harbottle 26, Green 18, Brook 14, Hollins 9*: Haswell 6-17, Metcalfe 2-15.

CLS 101-4 (19o) Summers 40, Allen 32, A Nairn 22: Brook 3-24, C Fletcher 1-24.

SN 1 point CLS 22.

Following high scoring defeats to Tynemouth & Benwell Hill, when the Bulls posted c250, matters took a turn for the worse at muggy Chester le Street when, after being inserted by the home side, a below par batting performance mustered only 99 in 40.2overs against the swing of Jonnie Haswell (6-17 from 12 overs 4 lbw's, 2 bowled). 

Debutant Bobby Green (18) showed promise, Michael Harbottle(26), James Ruddick (9) & Richard Brook (14) in a last wicket partnership of 27 with Owen Hollins(9*) resisted. Others failed to do so. Disappointing !

JAMES BELL MEMORIAL TROPHY. Tues 5th June (a)

SNCC 165-3 (20o) Doig 99*, Ruddick 31, Harbottle 18: Hebron 1-19,Wilkie 1-35, Bell 1-46

WASHINGTON 142-5 (20o) Geerah 50, Smith 37*: Brook 2-39, West 1-25, Davidson 1-34, Hollins 1-39.

Setting out to retain the trophy won in the last two years by the Bulls, a sparkling innings from Andy Doig (6x4, 1x6 & 18x2) of 99* & partnerships of 43 with Michael Harbottle (18) for the second wicket & 65 with James Ruddick(31) for the 3rd, with lots of running, laid the foundation for a winning total. Sadly Captain Michael Harbottle suffered a side strain & may miss some games.

Washington responded in spirited fashion being 70-4 in the 12th & then especially during a 71* partnership for the 5th wicket between Geerah(50) & Smith (37*) but they ran out of time. A SN win  by 23 runs. (An appeal about the eligibility of one player is ongoing.)

NEPL DIVISION 2 . Sat 9th June (a)

SNCC 228-6 (50o) James Ruddick 64, Bobby Green 44, Alex Weetman 34, David Harbottle 29, Ben Sidney-Wilmot 26: Dalby 3-27, Johnson 2-58, Barker 1-19.

BRANDON 193ao(34.5o) Messer 64, Newby 84*: Davidson 3-45, Brook 4-42, Hollins 2-0, Ruddick 1-47

The highest opening partnership of the season of 76 between u14 Bobby Green(44, 8x4, 69 balls, 94mins) in his second league innings for the 2's, & Alex Weetman (34, 8x4, 47 balls, 63 mins), set up an above par total of 228 in 50 overs. An excellent 92 run stand for the 4th wicket between James Ruddick (64, 10x4, 79 balls, 90 minutes) & a watchful Ben Sidney-Wilmot (26)  was built on emphatically by David Harbottle, 3x6 in his 29.

Brandon's innings stuttered to 69 -4 in the 15th, 3 wickets for Allan Davidson & 1 for James Ruddick. Messer (64) & Barker were both out to Richard Brook at 121 & thereafter the Brandon effort hinged around Newby who plundered successfully, 20 in one Brook over, in taking the total from 157 to 193 before Owen Hollins took the last two wickets for 0 runs in 11 balls. Super ! A win by 35 runs.

SNCC 30 points & a retention of 3rd spot in Division 2 albeit at a distance from undefeated leaders Tynemouth & Benwell Hill.

NEPL T20 GROUP G AT HETTON LYONS: v FELLING & HETTON LYONS: SUN 10TH JUNE.

FELLING 138-3 (20o) Wood 65*, McCaffrey 45*: Ruddick 3-16.

SNCC 139-6 (18o) Doig 38, Ru Fletcher 32*, James Ruddick 18: Plumb 2-33, McCaffrey 2-9, Forster 1-18, Maddock 1-29.

Having lost their opening game to Hetton Lyons, Felling began badly as James Ruddick took three wickets in three overs to leave them 24-3 in the 5th. Captain Wood (65*, 8x4) & McCaffrey (45*, 8x4)rebuilt to such good effect that they remained undefeated at the end of 20 overs seeing off 6 bowlers, to post a competitive 138-3.

The SN innings welcomed back Inti Fazal after medical exams, & he & Alex Weetman(15) put on29 before Alex was well caught at mid off by Rowell driving Plumb. Fazal (13) shared the same fate in the next over. Doig found the deep midwicket boundary to his liking & plundered 3x 6 in 38 before attempting once too often & being caught on the boundary. 89-3 in the 11th.

James Ruddick (18) miscued u14 Ben Forster to mid wicket but Ru Fletcher found some form & his 32* steadied the innings, the winning run coming from the last ball of the 18th over.

Rain then halted proceedings & a net run rate calculation suggested that Hetton Lyons would go through. However a request for NEPL clarification has now confirmed that the 3rd game will now be played on Friday 29th June away at Hetton, 6.00pm start. A fair outcome.

Duncan D. Stephen.