ACADEMY DEFEAT WHITBURN BY 5 WICKETS. Sun 14 June 2026: NEPL Sunday Division 1: SNCC v Whitburn (h) 40/40.

14th Jun 2026

Whitburn 112-8 (40o) Will Shields 21, Matthew Sneller 16, Elliott Priestley 12, Joseph Hugill 24*: Aryan Kalluri 0-22, Thomas Hunter 2-10, Elliott Mee 2-22, Matthew Smith 0-17, Arjun Godse 0-14, Jacques Graham 1-13, Leo Harper 3-6.

SNCC Academy 114-5 (26.1o) Will Oliver 23, Jacques Graham 16, Ben Lee 26*, Leo Harper 27*: Huw Morgan 2-37, Ethan McGill 1-34, Elliott Priestley 0-22, Harry Hall 2-15.

SNCC Academy won by 5 wickets-20 points, Whitburn 7.

A sunny day at Roseworth Terrace, Whitburn won the toss & chose to bat. Downey & McGill faced the seam of Aryan Kalluri (rm) & Thomas Hunter (lm).Wides & a no ball but in over 4 Thomas found the right length & McGill (5) was bowled half forward, 9-1. A maiden to Aryan then in over 8 a mixed bag from Thomas wide, dot, no ball, dot, dot, wicket , dot. no ball. dot.!! The wicket a perfect yorker which bowled Downey (2), 22-2.

Another maiden to Aryan, 25-2 after 10 overs. Matthew Smith (rm) & Elliott Mee (lb) took up the attack. A chance to mid on off Elliott went begging, no call came from either fielder, but in his next, Morgan (5) went back to the googly & was lbw to Elliott, 38-3.

This became 48-4 as Will Shields (21) who had batted nicely, stroking 3x4, advanced to Elliott but missed & was stumped by w/k Matty Raythbone, 50 -4 at 20 over drinks,  Arjun Godse having bowled one over. The fielding had been only good in parts.

A maiden to begin for Arjun & no scoring of note until Sneller drove Elliott to long off & pulled the next ball, both for 4. Nonetheless, Elliott finished a good spell 8-2-22-2. Arjun too 5-1-14-0.  Jacques Graham & Leo Harper took up the attack & in Jacques's second Sneller (16) skied straight behind the bowler, the call came from skipper Stephen & Aryan took the catch,74-5.

In the last 10 overs 32 runs were scored for the loss of 3 wickets, all to Leo. In his second Priestley (12) skied a pull to square leg where Arjun took the catch. In his next Hall (1) played forward but dragged his foot & was stumped by Matty Rathbone standing up. 85-7. Jaques finished his spell 5-0-12-1 & Aryan returned.

In the 37^th Nicholson (0) wandered forward & Matty Rathbone repeated the stumping, 93-8. The experienced Hugill & Paul Shields saw no further loss &the innings closed at 112-8, Hugill 24* Shields7* after 40 overs.

The fielding improved in the second half, Jacques in the gully, Will Oliver at point, Elliott at cover, Matthew diving at mid off, Matty down the legside, all saved runs.

In reply, Rathbone & Oliver faced the seam of Morgan (Park) & McGill (Grove). Matty (1) playing forward, lost his off stump in over two to McGill. Will had clipped three lovely boundaries through mid wicket & one over mid on. Jacques at three, also stroked 3x4 to  extra cover & either side of square leg.

But from being in total control at 42-1 after 9 overs, both contrived to gift their wickets. Jacques (16) played an expansive drive only to edge to the w/k off Morgan & two balls later Will (23) drove but straight to mid off, 43-3. 

Priestley's off spin & Hall's medium pace took up the attack. Aryan Kalluri (7) forward to Hall but was bowled at 52 in the 12th. Elliott (8) stroked 4 to square leg & 2 to cover but then needlessly lofted to mid on in Hall's next, 62-5, three gifts.

There followed the most sensible batting of the day between Ben Lee & Leo Harper. Good calling, strike rotated, calm, crease occupation, there was so much time & they took it. Drinks were taken at 81-5 after 20 overs, Ben 10*, Leo 9*.

Morgan & McGill returned but 7, 5, 5 from the next three overs as both batters found the spaces, Ben scoring behind square on the offside, or punching off  the back foot through cover, Leo pulling or sweeping to square leg & glancing fine.

There were no alarms & a pleasant inevitability in the outcome, sealed when Leo swept the first ball of the 27^th over to backward square leg of Priestley. Ben 26* Leo 27*, an undefeated partnership of 52* to see the Bulls home, with 12.5 overs remaining, proper cricket !!

Onward to Sun 21^st June, SNCC Academy v Burnopfield (a) 40/40 from 1330. We hope you can be there.

Duncan.