ACADEMY DEFEAT SACRISTON WITH A STRONG TEAM PERFORMANCE. Sun 7 June 2026: NEPL Sunday First Div: SNCC Academy v Sacriston (h) 40/40.

7th Jun 2026

SNCC Academy 194-8 (40o) Will Carr 33, Olly Alexander 83, Jacques Graham 24, Elliott Mee 26*: Charlie Anderson 0-32, Will Dixon 0-24, Alfie Hart 0-32, Ross Cordiner 1-16, Jake Atkinson 0-24, Ted McKie 3-27, George McKie 2-34.

Sacriston 151ao ( 36.3o) Liam McSkelly 18, Declan Buchanan 41, Jake Atkinson 22, Ted McKie 20*: Varun Gudipati 1-29, Aryan Kalluri 2-18, Matthew Smith 2-19, Elliott Mee 1-28, Ani Kalluri 1-16, Leo Harper 0-14, Jacques Graham 3-14.

SNCC won by 43 runs- 25 points, Sacriston 11.

A sunny but cool day at Roseworth Terrace, the Bulls chose to bat with Stephen Harper making his Academy debut as Captain. Will Carr & Olly Alexander faced the right arm seam of Anderson (Park)  & Dixon (Grove). A fast start, 39 from 5 overs as Will struck 6x4, driving on the up to cover & pulling into the legside, while Olly glanced, pulled & drove 4x4, with timing working well.

At 61 from the first ball of Cordiner's over of off spin, Will's (33, 36b 7x4) back foot force  went straight to point. Patience ! The wind picked up as the slower bowlers Hart & Cordiner make life a little more complicated. Overs 16 &17 conceded only 1 then in the 18^th a sharp single call from Olly saw Joseph Dresser (7) unable to make his ground at the w/k's end & adjudged run out.

At 20 over drinks the total was 92-2. Atkinson's 3 overs were expensive & Olly reached 50 * in over 23 with a nudge to square leg. Jacques was positive & the pair had put on 46 for the 3^rd wicket when Jacques (24, 32b, 4x4) lofted Ted McKie's leg break to cover from the third ball of his first over. Two balls later Aryan Kalluri (0) pushing forward, was bowled, 128-4.

The McKie's then bowled the remaining 12 overs of spin. In the 32^nd Varun (8) chipped Ted McKie to cover, 152-5. In the 35^th a very optimistic call from Olly for a single to cover left Leo (2) stranded & he was run out. Olly 83, (93b, 8x4), who had timed the ball nicely throughout, finally succumbed in the 37th, aiming to force George McKie's off spin into the legside but missing, to be lbw, 175-7.

Elliott was batting nicely, stroking to long on & pulling to mid wicket for 4 then taking 8 from Ted McKie's 7^th to cover, mid wicket, square leg & mid on. Then Matthew Smith (3) chipped Hart to mid on at 189 in the 39th & the innings closed at 194-8 with Elliott (26*, 26b 3x4) in company with Ani Kalluri (1*) defendable but mindful that Sacriston had reached a bigger total in their last game against Philadelphia. 

Ted McKie's leg breaks the pick of Sacriston's bowlers with 3-27 from his 8 overs. No one used their feet to him !

In reply Claughan & McSkelly faced the seam of Varun Gudipati (Park) & Aryan Kalluri (Grove). A maiden to start from Varun but then 4x4 until in the 4^th Aryan bowled Claughan(4) pushing forward, 17-1.

Buchanan joined McSkelly & the pair punished anything full or short. At 34 in the 8^th McSkelly (18) drove Aryan firmly to backward point where Jacques took a neat catch without fuss. Buchanan was patient but drove straight well. Matthew Smith joined the attack in over 12 & Elliott Mee's leg breaks in over 13, from the Park end as the cross wind blew towards  Moor Road.

Matthew was unlucky that a chance off Buchanan to a retreating mid off was unable to be taken. Generally the fielding was sharp with w/k Will Carr saving down the legside, Olly on the boundary, Jacques at mid wicket, Varun at short extra cover & later Elliott, an athletic diving stop at mid wicket saving 2. Backing up any shy at the stumps was also pleasingly evident.

Smith & Mee bowled in tandem overs 12 to 20. Buchanan drove Elliott over long on for 6 & looked to be in prime form. At 81 in the 16^th Dixon (6) on the crease was bowled by Matthew. In the next, recognising that Buchanan was likely to drive the leg break, Steve Harper placed himself at very straight, short extra cover.

From ball 2, Buchanan (41, 42b 7x4 1x6) drove hard & low only to find Steve diving full length to his right to take an outstanding catch in his right hand !! C'est magnifique mes amis ! 81-4 then in the 20^th over Anderson (8) edged Matthew to w/k Will to take the catch, 90-5 at half way drinks.

Immediately on resumption Ani Kalluri (rm) persuaded Hart (7) to edge for w/k Will Carr to take another catch without fuss, 99-6. As Elliott, Ani & then Leo (rm) & Jacques (sla) entered the attack the score had moved on to 121 after 30 overs.

Then in 4 overs, 4 wickets fell. At 140 in the 34^th Atkinson (22, 59b 3x4,) aiming to pull but missing, was lbw to Jacques. Varun returned but it was Jacques in his next who took two in two balls as Bunyan (1) launched to deep mid wicket where Aryan took a good catch on the boundary. Next ball G McKie (0) chipped back to the bowler, 146-9. 

In the next Cordiner (5) lofted Varun to mid on where Aryan took another straightforward catch, leaving Ted McKie 20*. A win by 43 runs, a good all round display, a proper team effort with only minor blemishes & one outstanding catch. The Bulls in second spot in Sunday Div 1 albeit  26 points behind leaders CLS all having played 7.

Onward to Sun 14^th June SNCC Academy v Whitburn (h) 40/40 from 1330. We hope you can be there.

Duncan.