THE BELL TOLLS FOR NORTHERN AS BULLS ADVANCE TO NATIONAL 1/4 FINAL

11th Jul 2022

         ECB Club Championship Round 4, Sun 10^th July 2022 v Northern (h)

Northern 232-9 (40o) Liam Grey 63, Andrew Clark 34, Jac Kennedy 35, Stephen Cole 18, Greg Liebenberg 17: Jonny Wightman 1-54, Sean Tindale 2-47, Lee Crozier 2-21, Oli McGee 2-46, Ru Fletcher 0-26, James Ruddick 1-26, Simon Birtwisle 0-6.

SNCC 236-5 (38.2o) Sol Bell 102, Simon Birtwisle 26, Alvin Dithole 42, Chris Hewison 36*: Tomas Sephton 2-38, Liam Grey 0-51, Dan Wilson 0-46, Quincy Titterton 2-49, Andrew Clarke 1-35, Chris Laker 0-17.

SNCC won by 5 wickets.

On another gloriously sunny day at Roseworth Terrace, SN welcomed Northern & their vocal supporters for the 4^th round of the 2022 ECB Club Championship. Winning the toss, the visitors were invited to bat. Grey & S Cole faced Wightman & Tindale. 

A cautious first 4 overs 10-0, accelerated to 54 after 8 as shots got full value over the fast outfield, Grey hitting 4 consecutive boundaries in the 7th. A double bowling change saw Crozier & McGee into the attack & in McGee's first, Cole edged for w/k Alvin Dithole to take a smart catch, 55-1. The left handed Laker (10) hit two boundaries but Crozier was conceding only singles & in an attempt to up the rate, he drove high to long off where Bell took the catch, 83-2 in the 15th.

Grey was joined by Clarke & the pair took a liking to Fletcher's two overs hitting 26. Drinks at 19.3 overs as a lost ball was recovered, score 127-2. In the next over Crozier bowled Clarke (35, 22b, 3x4, 2x6) & at the same score, 3 balls later with his first delivery, Ruddick bowled Grey (63, 58b, 10x4) who had batted well so this was a big wicket.

Kennedy & Liebenberg found Crozier's immaculate length hard to score off, Lee 8-0-21-2, another wonderfully controlled spell ending in the 23rd. A productive 26^th yielded 14 but Wightman & Tindale returned & the latter had Liebenberg (17) driving to cover excellently caught by Cragg, moving quickly forward & diving, 168-5. In the 29^th Browne (4) was comprehensively yorked by Tindale, operating from the Park end.

Kennedy accelerated &, in company with Titterton, took the score to 198 when, from the first ball of McGee's last over, Kennedy (35, 40b, 5x4) drove to extra cover where Cragg, moved swiftly left, took another splendid catch, inches above the turf, outstanding from Adam, 7 down. Ruddick & Birty bowled one each & from Birty's 3^rd ball Jonny Wightman's run, pick up & accurate throw to the w/k's stumps ran out Titterton (10) returning for an ambitious second, Alvin whipping off the bails, 209-8.

Wilson (4) was lbw to Wightman in the next over, the 37th. Captain James Cole then had the misfortune to pull a calf muscle attempting a single & a runner was required. Sephton & Cole negotiated the last three overs to end the innings at 232-9, less than it might have been, so a good pull back.

Sol Bell & Simon Birtwisle faced the sla of Sephton & the pace of Grey. Stephen Cole replaced James Cole as w/k. 24-0 after 4 all to Sol. Birty caught up hitting 5x4 in 4 overs until at 56 in the 10^th Birty (26, 5x4) pulling was caught by Sephton towards mid on off Titterton. The left handed Alvin Dithole took two fours in the same over, the second a majestic pull.

Bell , always composed & timing sweetly continued to score freely as did Alvin, 100 up in the 14^th & Sol's 50 (45b, 6x4, 1x6) reached in the 16th. 140-1 at 20 over drinks, the Bulls running well, moving nicely, Sol 73* Alvin 35*. Post drinks, after 8 off the first, the rate slowed with sla Sephton & Wilson in tandem until at 166 in the 30^th Alvin (42, 47b, 5x4) advanced to Sephton, now at the Park end, & was bowled. A good innings if a tad frenetic, reversing not quite working, but a very good partnership of 110 in 17 overs.

In the 30^th Sol drove Sephton over mid wicket to reach a deserved 102 (93b, 14x4, 1x6) only to fall next ball unexpectedly, driving almost gently to cover to be caught by Clarke. A magnificently composed innings, timing immaculate, to add to his 94 the day before, 182-3.

Chris Hewison (5), all singles, was joined by Cragg. A voice from the steps wondered if he could hit the ball, they were soon to find out ! 10 from the 31st, 8 from the 32nd, a glorious straight 6 to long off from Hewi off Clarke in the 34^th but from the last ball of that over, Cragg (11) sweeping, top edged to w/k Cole, 212-4.

Bowling changes made no inroads, two more boundaries from Hewi until Tindale (5) was athletically caught by bowler Quincy Titterton, diving to his right on follow through. A wicket maiden for Australian Mr T who didn't quite manage his pre-game boast of decapitating Mr Hewison (not quite the words he used), a gentleman with 20 NEPL centuries to his name. James Ruddick joined Hewi, 4 singles in the 38^th then an extra cover boundary from Hewi from the 2^nd ball of the 39^th sealed the 5-wicket win, Hewi 38*, James 3*.

The travelling Northern support, in good voice all day, were generous in their praise of the Bulls efforts. We hope they enjoyed their day in the NE, the bar certainly appreciated their patronage. The Bell had tolled, onward to Wallasey (a) in the quarter final on Sunday 31^st July. 

As ever most grateful thanks to Craig, Liam (& Clive) for preparing & rolling a run fest wicket, the ground looked a picture, & to Bill & the team behind the bar & for the provision of delicious catering.

Duncan.