YOUNGSTERS SHINE AS SN OVERCOME MCC IN TENSE FINISH

26th Jul 2019

Most kindly sponsored by Roddy Golightly, this 5th annual fixture, a time game with a declaration, provided opportunities for aspiring cricketers to shine &, on a sunny day, both teams were indebted to Craig Thompson & Liam Dodgson for their assiduous covering which withstood heavy overnight rain to enable a prompt start at 1033.

MCC 198-7 dec (56o: Chris Robb 39, Phil Nicholson 39, Richard Coughtrie 48*: Patrick Hatcher 3-17, Calum Fletcher 2-62, Richard Stanyon 1-15, Oli McGee 1-14, Alan Roskilly 0-20, Ru Fletcher 0-37, Ben Sidney-Wilmot 0-30)

SNCC 199-7 (36o: David Edwards 38, Parth Mannikar 49*, James Miller 35, Ben Sidney Wilmot 22*, Andrew Doig 19: James Taylor 2-41, Owen Gourley 2-35, Chris Robb 3-37, Lucas Evans 0-36, Ollie Barrett 0-39)

SN win by 3 wickets.

Rob Peyton & Ollie Barrett faced Richard Stanyon & Calum Fletcher. After conceding a lovely driven 4 Cal Fletcher bowled Barrett (4) with the last ball of the second over. In Stanyon's third, also after conceding a boundary, James Miller rolled back the years, timing his leap & grab one handed at mid on to catch Rob Peyton (12) as he drove Stanyon uppishly, outstanding!

Chris Robb (39) & Phil Newton (18) consolidated carefully, Robb taking three boundaries from Patrick Hatcher's second over before being stumped via Parth Mannikar's pad, 64-3. Neil Longhurst (10) struck Ru Fletcher for 2 boundaries but in Hatcher's next over lost his off stump essaying an expansive drive. At 88 Quentin Hughes drove but only succeeded in skying to cover where Cal Fletcher took the catch, 88-5. Patrick's 7 over spell ended with 3-17, the reward for a consistent, full length on a slightly sluggish pitch.

At 99 Newton (18) swept McGee but skied to be caught by w/k Mannikar moving towards square leg, 99-6. Enter the experienced Phil Nicholson & captain Richard Coughtrie. Eschewing risk the pair took the score to 127 at lunch from a commendable 43 overs bowled, including 6 from Alan Roskilly for only 20 & Oli McGee, a miserly 1-9 from 7.

Following the excellent lunch provided by Bill & Susan Kidd & Janice Ramsay & a photograph, MCC pressed on. The total had reached 158 when Nicholson(39) lofted Cal Fletcher to deep mid wicket where Andrew Doig took the catch. Coughtrie (48*)  & Evans (16*) plundered 40 more before the declaration at 198-7 after 56o at 1425.

Adam Heather, back on an old stamping ground, & Oli McGee faced young guests James Taylor & Owen Gourley. The ball was swinging & Taylor bowled Heather (7) with the score at 10. Bobby Green (3) soon followed driving at Gourley to be caught by Coughtrie in the gully, 21-2. David Edwards & McGee were positive & took the score to 47 at tea. 

One ball later McGee (10) charged Gourley & Lucas Evans caught a good catch moving smartly to his right at mid on, 38-3. Edwards & Andrew Doig took the score to 76 when the last 20 were called. Chris Robb's left arm seam then took three wickets in consecutive overs. After one stylish clip through mid wicket from ex first class bowler Evans, Doig (19), steered to first slip. 

Ru Fletcher(0) was adjudged lbw & Edwards, who had struck the ball well, (38 7x4, 38b, 58m) bowled by a yorker, 91-6. Parth Mannikar was joined by James Miller: 16 overs to go, 108 to get. To his credit visiting skipper Richard Coughtrie chose to offer Ollie Barrett a chance to bowl his off breaks rather than the more experienced Quentin Hughes & retained an attacking field. 39 came from Ollie's 4 overs as Miller & Mannikar, pulling, driving or sweeping, punished a variable length. Evans was bowling tightly but then the opening attack was given another chance from a different end. At 158, Miller (35: 7x4) was caught above his head by Evans at mid wicket, that is a 6'4" head !, off Taylor.

Ben Sidney Wilmot joined Mannikar, 7.3 overs to go 41 to win, 3 wickets in hand ! Mostly attacking fields persisted & the young pair played well.  As Parth worked the ball around the ground with a wristy flourish & Ben drove nicely, the target came in site. The winning runs being scored off the last ball of the penultimate over, the 36th. Parth 49*(6x4, 52b, 71m), Ben 22*(3x4, 23b, 24m).

Roddy Golightly presented the Man of the Match award to Parth Mannikar, Chris Robb & Patrick Hatcher received an honourable mention. Thanks were given by both Captains to all who had helped to make the day special. Young players had been given a chance to shine & most had taken their opportunity. The sun had accompanied them.......Bravo!

DDS.