A TENSE ENCOUNTER AS ACADEMY LET VICTORY SLIP AWAY AGAINST THE HILL. Sun 24 May 2026: NEPL Sunday Div 1: SNCC v Benwell Hill (h)

24th May 2026

Benwell Hill 128ao (32.2o) Aryan Wagh 29, Aaron Armstrong 24, Matty Hynd 34: Sam Lee 1-25, Aryan Kalluri 1-29, Varun Gudipati 2-11, Elliott Mee 2-15, George MConnell 2-8, Aadhav Sahadevan 0-11, Leo Harper 1-5, Matthew Smith 1-15.

SNCC 123ao (28.4o) Will Carr 12, Aadi Bethanabatla 30, George McConnell 19, Varun Gudipati 13, Leo Harper 30*: Gabriel Mellor 3-14, Nick Walder 0-25, Aaron Armstrong 5-32, Seb Fletcher-Woods 1-26, Hector Walder 1-19.

Benwell Hill won by 5 runs- 25 points, SNCC 12.

On a glorious, sunny day, a tale of what might have been as, chasing the Hill's 129, a total bolstered by the experienced Matty Hind (34), SN's young players, when set, found ways to get out, Leo Harper an important exception, & from 85-5 at the break & benefitting from two chances not taken, slipped to an agonising 5 run defeat after only 28.4 overs of the 40 available.

Some outstanding catching from both sides was the highlight of a low scoring contest. Elliott Mee & Ben Lee for SN; Aryan Wagh, Seb Fletcher Woods & Naveed Safi with 2 for Benwell Hill, all taken in the ring.

Winning the toss the Hill chose to bat. An eventful first over from Sam Lee as a leg bye, 3 runs, dot, 4 runs was ended by an lbw decision, full & straight, against Liam Hynd (4), 8-1. At 3 Wagh looked to attack & the total had reached 31 after 5 overs when Fletcher-Woods (9) drove Kalluri hard to mid off where Elliott Mee took a very good catch, head high, 31-2.

Wagh (29, 25b, 5x4) had looked in prime form but the introduction of Varun Gudipati from the Grove end & 3 dots persuaded him to attempt to attack but the ball squirted into the offside where Aadi took the catch, 56-3 after 10 overs, a wicket maiden.

Ten overs of Gudipati (rm) from the Grove & Mee's leg spin from the Park saw the total rise by only 29 & two further wickets were taken. Safi (6) was bowled by Gudipati in the 18th. Nick Walder (0) lobbed to Matthew Smith at mid wicket off Mee in the 19th. At drinks after 19 overs, the score was 78-5.

Varun completed an exemplary spell of 6-3-11-2 & in the next Armstrong (24) surviving an edge to the w/k, was lbw to Mee. George McConnell (lm) entered the attack & took two wickets in  two overs, both bowled from around the wicket, full & straight, as Mellor (1) & Hector Walder (0) succumbed, 88-8. Elliott's good spell ended 7-1-15-2

The experienced Matty Hynd then steadied the innings as Aadhav Sahadevan (rm) & Leo Harper (rm) took up the attack. Punishing anything short of a length the total had moved to 110 when Arushad (7) mistimed to mid wicket off Leo where Aryan Kaklluri took the catch, 9 down.

Matthew Smith (rm) began a spell from the Park but was pulled twice for 4 & again in his second but at 128 in his third, M Hynd (34, 46b, 6x4 ) drove hard to mid off where the diminutive Ben Lee held a wonderful catch, chest high. Leo finished a tidy spell 3-1-5-1.

In reply Aadi Bethanabatla & Will Carr faced the seam of Mellor (rm Grove) & N Walder (lm Park). Will pulled & drove through cover 2x4 in over 2 but in over 5, drove Mellor hard but straight to mid off where Safi took a good catch 12-1.

George McConnell & Aadi took the score to 42 after 10 overs, George (19) surviving a drop at mid wicket. In Aaron Arnstrong's (lb) first over George swung him for 6 to deep backward square leg, but 2 balls later inexplicably lobbed to mid off to be caught, 48-2.

In the 15th Ben Lee (2) drove back to Seb Fletcher- Woods who took a very good low, left-handed catch on follow through, 55-3. Aadi struck 2x4 off Armstrong in the 16^th but in attempting a big shot across the line to the same bowler was lbw for 30 (50b 4x4). Two balls later Aadhav Sahadevan (0) drove to short extra cover where Safi took the catch. 74-5 & at drinks 85 as Leo Harper struck 2x4 to square leg & mid wicket.

14 runs from the next 8 balls, was promising as Varun (13) drove straight nicely but after 4 overthrows, he inexplicably chipped Armstrong to short mid wicket. An over later Sam Lee (0) pulled H Walder hard to mid wicket where Wagh took a superb catch high to his left & in the next over Kalluri (0) was lbw to Armstrong on the front foot, 101-8 after 24 overs.

Over 27 provided 12 runs as Leo plundered H Walder to leg. One run from the returning N Walder & then Mellor returned, a single to Leo but two yorkers in 3 balls bowled Matthew Smith (8), which included one stylish cover drive, & Elliott Mee (0), 123 all out in only 28.4 overs. 

A tale of what might have been. No one used their feet to the spinner & when set, 4 batters got themselves out, Leo Harper's  (30*) deserved a better outcome.

Onward to Sun 31^st May SNCC Academy v Chester-le-Street (a) 1330 40/40. The league leaders provide the ultimate test. We need to bounce back please.

Duncan.