SOUTHERN CENTURY NOT ENOUGH AGAINST NEWCASTLE.

13th Aug 2024

            SOUTHERN CENTURY NOT ENOUGH AGAINST NEWCASTLE.

  NEPL Division 2 Sat 10^th Aug 2024: SNCC v Newcastle (h) 105o w/l/d

SNCC 183ao (53.1o) Angus Southern 100, George McConnell 35, George Gray 14: Patrick McMorran 0-7, Charlie Darwood 3-40, Will McLaughlin 2-33, Levi Olver 2-39, Joe Boaden 1-29, Chris Miller 1-29.

Newcastle 184-6 (39.5o) Joe Boaden 55, Dan Humble 17, Rob Walker 48, Levi Olver 46: Albie McPate 0-19, George Gray 1-60, George McConnell 0-8, Will Young 2-30, Gregor Pearce 2-39, Aadesh Sahadevan 0-17.

Newcastle won by 4 wickets- 25 points, SNCC 4.

An Angus Southern century was not enough as a youthful Bulls side, missing regulars Fletcher, Charnley, Paton, Gough, Weetman, Lunn, Ben Sid & Missy with a late train cancellation, & giving league debuts to Albie McPate & Aadesh Sahadevan, were unable to set a challenging target enabling Newcastle, despite a late wobble, to ease to a 4 wicket win in the 40^th over of their reply.

Winning the toss on a sunny day the Bulls were invited to bat. Tomlinson & George Gray faced the seam of McMorran & Darwood. 4 maidens in the first 7 overs & then in the 8^th Darwood, from around the wicket, got one to straighten & Nick (6) edged behind. Two balls later Jan (0) was mortified to chip gently to square leg, 11-2.

18-2 after 10 overs & then in the 15^th after a glorious cover drive for 4, George Gray (14), who had batted well, was run out after a spilled catch at square leg led to a confusion with Angus about a single & George failing to make it to the bowler's end. After last week's similar experience, a decisive no from either should have prevailed ! 29-3.

McLaughlin (rm) & Olver (sla) began spells & first over after 17 over drinks Jacob (8) pushing forward, was bowled by Olver, 38-4. 47-4 after 20 overs seemed like hard work, Angus cover drove & cut for 4. George McConnell steered to fine leg & cut to backward point.

When Olver pitched short in over 26 George hit 6 to mid wicket then drove 4 through extra cover. In the next Angus took 7 off Boaden (ob) including a sumptuous cover drive. George swept Olver to square leg & Angus pulled Boaden elegantly to backward square, 80-4 after 30 overs.

In the 34^th George cover drove Miller (rm) for 4 & then, on the up, thrillingly, hit 6 beyond the Roseworth Terrace gate. In the first over after drinks George rather tamely hit Boaden to cover off the back foot, an imperfect end to an exhilarating innings (35, 55b, 3x4, 2x6), 103-5, Angus 37*.

127-5 in the 40^th as Angus cut & stroked 3x4 but in the 41^st Aadesh (7) was yorked by Darwood, now from the Park end. 132-7 in the 44^th as Finlay Pearce (3) was yorked by Miller.

Angus attacked in overs 45 & 46 taking 14 off Darwood & then 11 off Mclauchlin, pulling, cutting & driving 4x4 & straight for 6;168-7 after 47 overs. In the 49^th Gregor Pearce (4) drove Mclaughlin to cover, 171-8. Albie (1) did the same in over 51, 9 down but, with Will batting sensibly, Angus reached a deserved 100 in the 53^rd (147b, 13x4 1x6) finally succumbing to a w/k catch, trying to force  Olver through the offside. An excellent innings knowing much depended on him after the early dismisals;183 all out after 53.1 overs.

Boaden & Humble faced the seam of McPate (Park) & off spin of George Gray (Grove). Angus Southern took the gloves, Varun Gudipati substituted for an injured Finlay Pearce.  Steady bowling in the first 10 overs, only two boundaries conceded, & then Humble hit to mid on but failed to beat Varun's direct hit at the bowler's end, 34-1.

  In over 12 Walker (3) having edged a slog, next ball had a life  as an edge from George travelled quickly & low to Nick's left hand at first slip but could not be held.

In the next 10 overs the score doubled with 5 good overs spoilt by a four ball. All the bowlers suffered as inconsistent  lengths  were punished with misfields creeping in.  After a welcome Aadesh (rm) maiden in over 24, the total was103 -1. In the next Walker (48, 55b, 7x4,2x6) miscued a pull off George Gray, now at the Park end, which skied to short third man taken by Jan, 10

Olver survived a strong lbw shout from George in over 27 (which the umpire admitted afterwards may have been a good one)  & then stroked through cover off the back foot for 4.

George Gray & Aadesh bowled overs 24 to 33, the score rose to 146-2. Calmly,  Boaden batted on, Olver swept the spinners & drove through cover. The end was nigh but in overs 38 & 39, 4 wickets fell. At 177 Olver (46, 36b, 7x4) was bowled by Gregor & two balls later Boaden (55, 112b 8x4) also succumbed bowled by a beautiful leg break, a shame such a delivery could not be conjured in his first spell, 178-4.

In Will Young's next  Stenhouse (5) was lbw & three balls later Miller (0) was caught low down to his right by w/k Angus, 182-6. Hall (2) edged the winning runs to third man from the 5^th ball of the 40^th bowled by Gregor.

Some gloss at the end of a tough day for an inexperienced team whose heads never dropped & whose energy levels remained high. In the event insufficient batting depth & inconsistent bowling lengths told. The 2's slip to equal 7th in Division 2 after three defeats. 6 games to go, they hope to bounce back at the earliest opportunity. We hope your presence can help them do so.

Onward to:

Tues 13^th August SNCC v Littletown (h) James Bell Cup 1800.

Fri 16^th August SNCC v Ashington (a) Banks 100 Bowl ¼ final 1800.

Sat 17^th August SNCC v Hetton Lyons (a) 45/45 win/lose, 1200, 

Sun 18^th August SNCC v Castle Eden (a) NEPL T20 finals day at Castle Eden. SNCC first semi final at 1100.

Duncan.