WHITBURN SUFFER AS WIGHTMAN & TINDALE STRIKE, THEN CROZIER WRAPS IT UP

30th Jul 2018

NEPL PREMIER DIVISION 15/22

WHITBURN 63ao (32.4o) Mark Elliott 16, Craig Henderson 15: Jonny Wightman 3-10, Sean Tindale 2-20, Michael Craigs 1-15, Lee Crozier 4-9.

SNCC 64-3 (16.5o) Rob Peyton 18, Sean Tindale 17. Peter Borren 15*, Adam Cragg 13*; Kieran Waterson 2-29, Matthew Muchall 1-25.

After only a 30 minute delay to mop up & uncover, groundsman Craig Thompson at his best, on winning the toss, Whitburn were invited to bat. Edmondstone & L Henderson faced Wightman, from the Park end, & Tindale. After 13 overs Whitburn had limped to 14-5 in the face of the best opening spell of the season so far. The first ball from Wightman to Edmondstone found the outside edge & was taken behind, only for a no ball to be called ! From the first ball of the second over Tindale had Henderson caught by w/k Peyton.

McBride settled briefly before he drove Wightman to short extra cover where Adam Cragg, moving sharply to his left, took an excellent, two handed catch, 4-2. Bell survived before he too was caught by w/k Peyton off Wightman for 4, 10-3. Edmondstone, defending, was then bowled by a beauty from Tindale, 10-4. At 14 in the 13th over Shields' resistance was broken as he steered to first slip to be caught neatly by debutant Peter Borren off Wightman, 14-5.

The first change came after 19 overs of outstanding seam bowling. Jonny Wightman 10-4-10-3, Sean Tindale 9-2-20-2. Wighters, into a stiff breeze, shortened his run & produced a most controlled spell with movement & accuracy. Downwind, Sean was pacy & equally accurate, the two boundaries to C Henderson being inadvertent top edges.

Michael Craigs left arm & Peter Borren's right arm medium pace entered the attack. Elliott & C Henderson resisted for a while but in attempting to up the rate, Henderson was bowled by Craigs swinging to leg, 45-6. Lee Crozier then dismantled the rest of the order in 3.4 overs taking 4-9. Elliott succumbed lbw for 16, Hearn (1) was bowled going back when he should have been forward, Muchall lbw on the back foot &, after a blow or two, Stewart (13) was taken by Tindale at deep mid wicket.

The innings lasted 2 minutes short of two hours. Heavy bails were needed as the wind gusted.

Sean Tindale & Rob Peyton faced the experienced seam attack of Waterson & Muchall. Running well & with Peyton driving nicely through the offside, the total had reached 30 when Peyton (18) played on via thigh to Waterson.

John Graham (0) somewhat inexplicably offered no shot to be lbw to Waterson before Tindale (17) played over an in swinger from Muchall, 38-3. In sensible fashion Borren (15*) & Cragg (13*)  saw the Bulls home with an undefeated 4th wicket stand of 26, the winning runs coming from a delightful straight drive by Borren off the 5th ball of Stewart's first over, the 17th.

22 points &, as a consequence of the weather curtailing a number of games, an increased lead of  50 points over CLS with 7 tough games to go beginning with Newcastle away on Saturday 4th August.

AREA T20 FINALS: AT HANGING HEATON CC: SUNDAY 29TH JULY.

Hanging Heaton v Woodhouse Grange 1030: SNCC v Barnard Castle 1330.

With support, the SN squad travelled hopefully to Batley at 0900. The optimism of the hosts had been punctured by heavy rain from 1000. Soon after our arrival, around 1200, the umpires inspected again & with standing water on the outfield, no apparent let up in the rain & the agreement of Captains, postponed the whole day to Sunday 5th August at the same venue. Not quite a grand day out!!

We are seeking to rearrange the final of the Tyneside Charity Bowl, originally scheduled for Sunday 5th August at Benwell Hill v Consett, perhaps for an evening as it is a T20 game.

15 league games gone, 10 wins, 5 winning draws, different people performing well at crucial times, a real team effort, batting strength in depth, good bowling options, some outstanding fielding......remarkable really, but we must continue!! Welcome Peter, it is good to have you amongst us.

Duncan D. Stephen.