SUBLIME FRIDAY: SORRY SATURDAY' : BULLS PROGRESS STRONGLY IN T20 BUT COME BADLY UNSTUCK AT SACRISTON

24th Jun 2019

Another roller coaster weekend as the Bulls swept into the T20 1/4 with a comprehensive victory over Burnopfield on Friday but fell to a second league defeat on Saturday at Sacriston being bowled out for just 77. Remarkably, top spot in the Premier Division is retained by 16 points after Tynemouth's loss at CLS & Burnmoor's draw with Benwell Hill.

T20: SNCC 170-5 (20o: Jacques Du Toit 83, Simon Birtwisle 32, Sean Tindale 22*: Stephen Humble    

         2-34, Alex Senior 1-30, Owen Shield 1-23, Callum Thorp 1-23)

         Burnopfield 71ao (17.5o: Sean Tindale 2-16, Jonny Wightman 0-6, Michael Craigs 1-23, Lee                  Crozier 3-8, Oli McGee 2-17)

Having been asked to bat, on a sunny evening at Roseworth Terrace, an opening partnership of 100 from 61 balls between Simon Birtwisle & Jacques Du Toit laid the foundation for a commanding total. Du Toit was in imperious form driving & pulling 8x4 + 4x6 in only 45 balls. Birty (32) skied to keeper John Oswell off Callum Thorp, Chris Hewison (7) did the same to Owen Shield, Du Toit's magnificent innings of 83 was ended by an Alex Senior yorker, 133-3. Sean Tindale remained undefeated on 22* as Stephen Humble returned to bowl Adam Cragg (8) & Oli McGee(0) in the last over.

In reply J Oswell (0) was bowled by Sean Tindale with 3rd ball of the innings. Neil Killeen (2) was run out after a quick pick up & direct hit by Sean Tindale from mid wicket, 5-2. Stephen Humble (10) drove Michael Craigs to cover where Du Toit took the catch, 16-3. Adam Ahmed (2) was lbw to Lee Crozier working to leg, 20-4. Callum Thorp (5) lofted McGee to long on where Jonny Wightman took a well judged catch, 36-5.

Owen Shield & Matthew Oswell took the score to 60 where both succumbed, Oswell (20) to another direct hit, this time from Birty at mid wicket, as an attempt for an ambitious two could not beat the throw to the bowler's end & Shield (16) yorked by Tindale. Daniel Hutton (9*) resisted but Senior(0) was lbw to McGee & Crozier's guile accounted for Purdy lbw & Atkinson bowled, both without score. 71ao after 17.5 overs.

Fielding intensity very evident, an almost complete performance. A 1/4 final v Washington on Friday 28th June at home the result. Onward !

NEPL Premier Division 10/22: SNCC v Sacriston at The Welfare Ground which had seen rain during the week with the outfield having a final cut on arrival.

Sacriston 188ao (55.4o: Mel Betts 51, Daniel Anderson 39, Graeme Wrightson 27, Nathan Hall 17: Jonny Wightman 1-41, Sean Tindale 2-42, Oli McGee 1-27, Michael Craigs 0-17, Lee Crozier 4-38.)

SNCC 77ao (29.1o: Sam Dale 11, Michael Craigs 14*, Jonny Wightman 16: Mel Betts 4-12, Callum Appleby 1-13, Wil Gidman 3-25, Jack Keall 2-17)

Sacriston 24 points SNCC 4.

The home team were invited to bat on a green tinged wicket. Wil Gidman & Ross Williams faced Jonny Wightman & Sean Tindale. At 4, a Williams push towards cover point saw Adam Cragg, make good ground, gather & turn in one movement, then score a direct hit which just beat Gidman (4) to the striker's end. Sol Bell (0) then edged Tindale to Du Toit at first slip where a difficult, low catch was taken with aplomb, 6-2.

This would be repeated at 22 when Williams (8) edged Wightman & Du Toit obliged with a sure, second catch, low to his right. At 30, a mix up between McBride (0) & Anderson saw the former stranded & unable to beat Sam Dale's throw to the striker's end.

Dan Anderson, who survived a tough chance to Birty at second slip & an easier one to Crozier at mid on when 18,  batted nicely & struck 7 boundaries in his 39 before he was bowled by McGee, 78-5. Mel Betts joined Nathan Hall. There followed three good partnerships as Hall (17: 67b) defended before he succumbed to Crozier at 100-6 when lunch was taken after 33 overs with Betts on 15*. 

Post lunch Wrightson & Betts produced a vital partnership of 52. Mel unfurling cover drives & leg glides to compile a very well made 51 (9x4: 71 b), surviving a possible run out chance, before being smartly stumped by Parth Mannikar, charging Crozier. Wrightson's resistance continued (73b, 87m) until he was bowled by Crozier for 27 at 185. Callum Appleby (16) showed intent before he too was bowled by Crozier, who then accounted for Keall first ball to end the innings at 188 after 55.4o.  

Six Birty runs off the first over from Betts promised but Chris Hewison was bowled by Appleby shouldering arms in the second, 6-1. Birty (6) was then adjudged lbw to Betts on the front foot, 6-2. Sean Tindale (1) suffered the same fate at 13 & when Jacques Du Toit inside edged onto his stumps first ball to Betts the home team were cock-a-hoop, 13-4. Accurate seam bowling making the most of a helpful surface with variable bounce. Nothing to hit, nothing loose, wicket keeper standing up, tigerish fielding.

At 17 Adam Cragg (3), pushing forward was bowled off stump by Betts whose match winning spell finished 7-3-12-4. Sam Dale resisted well. Parth Mannikar joined Dale & the pair advanced the score to 29 when Mannikar (8), after two nice boundaries, was bowled by Keall, defending. Dale (11) then seemed unlucky to be given out caught behind after a Gidman delivery moved & lifted prodigiously, 35-7.

McGee & Craigs moved the score to 42 before McGee (1) was adjudged lbw to Keall. Wightman (16) joined Craigs & smote four nice boundaries before being bowled by Gidman, 67-8, a partnership of 25. Crozier (10) revealed his batting pedigree with one glorious cover drive off Gidman before steering Gidman to Hall at third slip. Michael Craigs remained undefeated on 14* from 45 balls. Only 29.1 overs used.

Lessons to learn from this second league defeat:  must bowl straighter & more consistently, sometimes dots are more important than wickets but lead to them. Must bat with more discipline in helpful bowling conditions. Must bounce back again next weekend, the halfway point of the season. A 16 point gap over Burnmoor after 10 games. All games difficult, consistency vital, resilience essential.

Friday 28th June :         T20 1/4 final                                      SNCC v Washington (h) 1800 

Saturday 29th June:     NEPL Premier Division 11/22         SNCC V Felling (h) 1200.

We hope to see you there.

DDS.