South North Juniors Take Centre Stage

4th Dec 2017

Friday 13th October 2017 saw SNCC hold their important Junior Presentation Evening. Compered by newly appointed Club Chairman, Alan Fletcher, the evening celebrated the achievements of 9 Junior teams involving over 250 junior members in practice & play with most matches on Mondays, Wednesdays & Sundays, many away in Northumberland or Durham.

 Players offered sincere thanks to their coaches, team managers & parents for support in coaching, organising, umpiring & transporting without which nothing would have been possible. Alan recognised the important contribution of head coach Mel Betts who had left the Club, after seven years, at the end of the season.

 In a successful year, where the U15 Red team & U14 Green team both won their respective leagues, Team Managers in turn summarised the season, commending the evident teamwork, enjoyment & spirit that SN’s young players had shown on their travels.

 The awards for each age group, given as a ‘Champagne Moment’, a ‘Most Improved Player’ & a ‘Player of the Year’ in u11, u13, u15, & u19 categories, were as follows:

Team Manager         Champagne Moment          Most Improved Player         Player of the Year.

U11 Green

Mike Moody                         Alex Nice                             Oliver Wall                         James Moody   

 U11 Blue

Phil Ewart                              Sam Ewart                           Ben Hobbs                        Trudy Johnson

 U11 Red                   

James Southern                   Henry Scott                            Ali Smart                          Angus Southern

 U13 Green

Neil Helsby/Mike Bowers   Anish Krishnan                   Alan Roskilly                       Nat Varley

 U13 Blue

Ian Ward                              Mineth Ellawela                  Aryan Sharma                     Aryan Kakwani

 U13 Red                

Neil Helsby/Mike Bowers   George Finnie                      Adam Helsby                     Guy Johnson          

 U14 Green

Paul Varley                             Alfie Clark                           Ollie Mullarkey                  Mark Dormer

 U15 Red       

Alan Fletcher                        Sree Kanakala                        Arif  Alam                        Matthew Jennings

 U19

Stewart Davidson/

Ben Sidney-Wilmot                 Jonnie Bell                         Bobby Green                       Ru Fletcher

Women’s Player of the Year (105 in 36 balls, 20 x 4)                              Rachel Foreman.

 Chairman’s Cup (Overall Junior Player of the Year)                                  Guy Johnson

 Directors Plate (Junior contributing most to senior cricket)                   Cam Skinner

Reflecting on the year, starting with invitations to selected juniors to attend senior indoor nets in January, Alan expressed pride that 26 juniors had played for senior teams, a significant improvement on previous years, with the NEPL Sunday Division 1 Academy side & the 1864 West Tyne League Division 1 team both offering regular opportunities for 5-8 aspirants. The Academy X1, with the youngest team in the league, finished a close second & the WTL Division 1 1864’s ended a magnificent third. Balancing development opportunity with team competitiveness was a constant challenge but largely achieved. Knowledge of forward availability & keenness & inclusion at Tuesday senior nets  was very helpful to selectors.

Debuts for 1st & 2nd X1 had been made by Nathan Gough, Calum Fletcher, Cam Skinner & Ross Ward. Ben Sidney Wilmot had scored a maiden 54* & a 49 in two 2nd X1 Banks Bowl cup ties & in the winning Banks Bowl final v Sacriston, 3-7 in 5 overs for Cam Skinner & 6 excellent catches, 2 by Cal Fletcher & 4 by w/k Ross Ward, had proved pivotal. Determined batting from debutants Max Walton & Guy Johnson almost got the 2’s a winning draw against Tynemouth from a seemingly hopeless position. These were all most heartening.

Alan concluded by thanking 1st X1 players Jonny Wightman & Adam Cragg for presenting the awards  & parents, Team Managers & coaches for their efforts. He hoped that the recent attraction of ex England international opening bowler Graham Onions, to be interim Director of Coaching, was a sign of the Club’s commitment to junior development. Photos of prize winners would be available shortly via Duncan Stephen.