RAIN ABANDONS SAT: T20 CAMPAIGN FALLS AT SEMI FINAL STAGE: NEPL TOP SPOT BY 17 MAINTAINED

15th Jul 2019

Sat 13 July NEPL Premier Division 13/22.

SNCC 62-1 (11o: Simon Birtwisle 31*, Chris Hewison 27, Jacques Du Toit 1*)

Whitburn:    did not bat, persistent rain caused an abandonment at 1635

SN 5 points Whitburn 5.

After 2 overs, rain intervened, a reduced overs game of 34/30 restarted at 1530. 9 more overs were possible as both Birty & Chris hit 4 boundaries in a bright opening stand of 58 before Chris drove Muchall to extra cover for 27. The umpires took the players off the field at 1603 & abandoned the game at 1635 there being no prospect of a start by 1700 to enable a total of 59 overs to be bowled.

Results elsewhere saw Hetton Lyons & Eppleton both win but all other games abandoned so the 17 point Premier Division lead is maintained over Tynemouth, 19 over Burnmoor after 13 games.

Sun 14th July: NEPL T20 semi final : SNCC v Burnmoor at Burnmoor.

SN 105-7 (20o: Simon Birtwisle 47* Chris Hewison 21, John Graham 17: Sami Niazi 2-12, Craig Stephenson 2-20, Ross Hodgson 1-22, Allan Worthy 0-23, Graeme Bridge 0-27)

Burnmoor 108-4 (18.5o: Allan Worthy 57*, Mark Symington 22, Martin Hubber 10: Simon Birtwisle 0-17, Jonny Wightman 0-45, Lee Crozier 0-9, Oli McGee 0-14, Jacques Du Toit 0-11, Michael Craigs 3-12)

Burnmoor win by 6 wickets.

Winning the toss & batting at sunny Burnmoor, hopes were high that progress could be made. But a below par score of 105-7 in 20o saw Burnmoor accelerate late on to claim a 6 wicket win after 18.5o. Chastening!

Simon Birtwisle & Jacques Du Toit opened against the accurate seam of Sami Niazi from the Road end & Allan Worthy's bowling 'into the pitch off two paces' at the Village end. A Niazi maiden was followed by 6 from Worthy's first but in Niazi's second, lbw decisions in consecutive balls against Du Toit (6) & Rob Peyton (0) saw the Bulls slip to 15-2.

As Stephenson replaced Niazi & Hodgson, Worthy, both slow bowlers, Chris Hewison & Birty took the score to 63 in the 14th when Hewey (21) was bowled aiming  to hit Hodgson down the ground. Graeme Bridge's slow left arm joined the attack & his first two overs went for only 5 as batsmen found it hard to get the ball away.

John Graham was positive, taking 17 from 12 balls, before also being adjudged lbw sweeping Stephenson, 87-4 in the 18th. With two overs left Oli McGee (5) perished caught by Wright at long on in the 20th. Alex Weetman (1) & Michael Craigs (0) were both run out in the final over leaving Birty 47* (2x4, 1x6, 60b,76m), commendable. Work to do, 16 of the 20 overs bowled by slower bowlers on a slow pitch with little bounce.

Allan Worthy & Martin Hubber faced Simon Birtwisle's slow left arm up the hill & Jonny Wightman from the Road end. Progress was steady, singles were taken. Lee Crozier strangled the rate, his 4 overs going for 9 with the wicket of Hubber bowled swinging to leg at 28 in the 6th.

Mark Symington (22) & Worthy (36*) took the score carefully to 68 after 15o, only two runs more than the SN total at the same stage. The slow left arm of McGee & slow right arm of Du Toit had varied the attack up the hill, although two sixes were hit straight. From the second ball of the 16th over, Symington edged Michael Craigs to w/k Rob Peyton. Niazi entered but his boldness was undermined 3 balls later by a very swift leg side stumping by Peyton, standing up, from a wide, 69-3.

Jonny Wightman returned at the Village end but with three overs left & 35 to get, Hodgson & Worthy took a liking to the pace offered scoring 14 from the 17th. Craigs then bowled Craig Symington (6) 87-4 at the end of the 18th. Sadly both batsmen swung & two sixes & two fours came from 5 balls in the 19th to give the home team victory with 7 balls left. Worthy finished an accomplished 57*(5x4, 3x6, 60b, 71m).

A disappointing end to a campaign there were high hopes for. But we must continue, all to play for in the league beginning with an away game at Burnopfield 1200: Sat 20th July followed by Tynemouth (h) Sat 27th July: also at 1200. We hope to see you there.

DDS.