TOUGH WEEKEND FOR THE BULLS: DEFEATS AT WHITBURN & TO SUNDERLAND IN THE SALVER.

6th May 2019

Undefeated for 25 league matches the 1st X1 came unstuck badly at Whitburn on Saturday losing by 142 runs. A serious wake up call to any league ambitions for the 2019 season as both bowling & batting were under par & fielding intensity seemed missing. Work to do !!

Whitburn 234-8 (58o) Henderson 78, Markham 61: Crozier 5-47, Wade 2-14, Du Toit 1-31.

SNCC 92ao (34.1o) Graham 22, Cragg 17, Birtwisle 14: Muchall 5-18, Elliott 3-32, Waterson 1-17

Whitburn 25 points SN 3.

The home team were invited to bat on a true, if green tinged, surface. Thompson & Henderson put on a watchful 32 before Crozier's introduction in the 11th over saw Thompson (14) advance to be smartly stumped by Cragg. Wade began a useful spell from the wood end & 11 runs later Bell was adjudged caught behind by Cragg from one that lifted. A further 6 were added before Elliott was yorked by Wade for 0, 49-3 in the 20th.

The left handed Markham joined Henderson (32) & in rather unorthodox fashion, the pair resisted two good spells from Crozier & Wade to get to lunch on 94 after 32, the last two overs of spin going for 21, with Markham hitting two sixes to leg.

In 6 overs after lunch the score rose by 40 as Henderson took a liking to Tindale & Markham to McGee. The partnership continued & had reached 114 when Markham was bowled by Du Toit for an unlikely, but very valuable, 61 (7x4, 4x6), 163-4 in the 44th. Crozier returned & picked up 4 wickets in 5 overs for 25 including that of Henderson for a deserving 78, as Du Toit finished a good spell with 1-31 in 10o. Smith (22) & Harris (17) kept the momentum & although Hearn was lbw for 0, Muchall(10*) & Smith (10*) saw the home side to a close on 234-8 after the maximum of 58o.

Birtwisle & Hewison faced Waterson & Smith. In Waterson's second over Hewison(1) was unlucky to be run out as non striker as the bowler deflected a firm drive onto the stumps. The introduction of Elliott's off spin saw Birtwisle(14) caught behind in his first over, the 12th, 39-2. Du Toit hit his first two balls for 6 & 2 but in the next Waterson over was bowled by a delivery pitching middle & hitting off. 40-3.

Graham had stroked 4 nice boundaries but he too succumbed to Elliott's drift as w/k Harris took a second, juggling catch, 46-4. Tindale (6), unhappily, suffered the same fate 9 runs later, 55-5 in the 20th. Muchall had begun a tidy spell from the road end in the 16th & in his 4th bowled Craigs (0) first ball.

McGee(1) was also bowled by Muchall in his next over, 66-7 with Cragg on 12. Cragg then was caught on the deep, backward square leg boundary by Hearn for 17, 71-8. Wightman (0) fell hitting to mid on at the same score & although Wade & Crozier resisted to create the second highest partnership of the innings, 21, Wade(11) was last out, bowled by Muchall at 92, leaving Crozier 5*.

A comprehensive defeat by 142 runs !! Muchall a splendid spell of 10.1-4-18-5. SN now 4th in the NEPL Premier Division on 53 points behind Tynemouth, Burnmoor & Eppleton. Work to do.

A much changed 1st X1 faced Sunderland in the Banks Salver on Mon 6th May at Roseworth Terrace. 

SNCC 142ao (39o) Edwards 25, Craigs 25, Wade 12, Fletcher 10: Tahir 3-18, Turner 3-29, J Singh 2-42.

Sunderland 143-5 (29.2o) D Shurben 62, R Singh 36, Turner 23*: Craigs 2-22, McGee 2-36, Wade 1-42.

Sunderland win by 5 wickets.

With rain around & with thanks to umpires Crockatt & Montgomery-Else for playing on, the game began at 1342 with no overs lost. Tindale & McGee faced Shahbaz & Smith. At 21 in the 6th McGee(6) feathered a catch to w/k Youlden off Smith. Shahbaz induced a similar fate for Tindale (9) in the 7th, 23-2. Drizzle seemed to hamper both batting & bowling.

Meears-White & Edwards found run scoring difficult but put together the highest partnership of the innings making 27 before Turner bowled Meears-White (9). 50-3 in the 18th. Stanyon (8) increased the run rate with consecutive boundaries but was then bowled round his legs by the slow left arm of Tahir. At 76 Edwards (25, 67m) cut to backward point off Tahir in the 23rd.

Fletcher (10) was stumped by Youlden off Tahir at 86. Captain of the day Craigs & Seymour added 21 before Seymour (8) was caught by Youlden off the quick bowling of Turner. 107-7 in the 31st. 3 runs later Wightman (2) was caught at long on off J Singh. At 125 Craigs was bowled by Turner for 25 leaving Wade & debutant Will Varley to muster a last wicket partnership of 17 before Wade(12) was caught at long on by D Shurben. 18 wides & 5 leg byes bolstered the total to 142.

The rain had stopped & the sun emerged after the between innings break, conditions felt less Arctic.

David Edwards took the gloves for only the second time as D Shurben & Applegarth faced Wightman & Craigs. Craigs's first two overs contained two boundaries, 3 wides & two wickets as Applegarth (4) was yorked off stump & Tahir (0) lbw. 14-2. A melange!

Wightman found more rhythm but was wicketless in 5 overs. Singh batted positively & after two Wade overs for 18, Tindale began a 6 over spell for 18, including a six by Shurben, from the Grove end & McGee's slow left arm operated from the Park. McGee caught & bowled Singh(36) in his second over & had Cooney lbw for 0 in his 3rd, 85-4 in the 18th. Rhythm returning.

Turner joined Shurben & the pair briskly built a winning partnership of 56 before Shurben (62, 7x4, 1x6, 81b,114m) was bowled by Wade with the scores tied. Youlden hit a single off Wightman to win the game after 29.20o.

A creditable performance against a full 1st X1 missing only Gareth Hart (DCCC). 

On Sat 11th May the 1st X1 visit top of the table Tynemouth, 1200 start, before, on Sunday 12th May, welcoming Chester-le-Street for a second round Royal London National Club Championship match. A 1330 start 40 over /side match, during which SNVP's are entertained to lunch. An important bounce back weekend for the Bulls. We hope to see you there.

DDS.