ACADEMY SUFFER AT SEAHAM HARBOUR-MANY CATCHES NOT TAKEN. Sun 19 July 2026: NEPL Sunday Div 1: SNCC v Seaham Harbour (a) 40/40o

19th Jul 2026

Seaham Harbour 241-6 (40o) C Lowerson-Marshall 17, M Wilson 67, C Hunter 83, A Churlish 25: Aryan Kalluri 0-39, Archit Upadhye 2-40, Leo Harper 1-59, Arjun Godse 0-27, Felix McDermott 0-27, Freddie Mitten 2-15, Olly Alexander 0-20.

SNCC Academy 101ao (24o) Olly Alexander 7, Ani Kalluri 31, Ben Lee 24, Matthew Smith 7, Arjun Godse 8*, Felix McDermott 9: Chris Richardson 2-20, Tyler Kennedy 1-32, Alfie Churlish 5-21, James Spencer 1-7, Michael Hughes 1-8.

Seaham Harbour won by 140 runs -24 points, SNCC Academy 9.

When you have been asked to be captain of a team for the first time you hope that things go well, that conditions are the same for both sides, that players play to their potential & that an enjoyable day can ensue. So all praise & grateful thanks to Archit Upadhye for volunteering to take on the captaincy of the Academy team at very short notice.

Sadly, a chastening day unfolded at Seaham Harbour, as in ideal conditions, a hard pitch & fast outfield, a short boundary to one side, on winning the toss, the home team racked up 241-6 in 40 overs, abetted by some less than impressive ground fielding & failing to take at least 6 catches, in contrast to Seaham who later caught all theirs.

Then subsiding to 101 all out in only 24 overs, unable to cope with the off spin of Churlish who took 5 wickets, a 54 run second wicket partnership between Ani Kalluri (31) & Ben Lee (24) being the most redeeming feature.

Lowerson-Marshall (rh) & Wilson(lh) faced the seam of Aryan Kalluri & leg spin of Archit Upadhye. Aryan found bowling a consistent line to this combination tricky & he conceded 7 then 8 in his first two overs. Archit suffered too as Wilson struck 6 then 4,4 in over 4, 30-0

A chance to deep square leg failed to go to hand, but in the 6th Lowerson-Marshall (17) was bowled by a beautifully flighted leg break from Archit, 31-1. Two overs later Consitt (4) also succumbed to a full, spinning delivery from Archit, 40-2, the batters unable to spot the googly.

Hunter & Wilson then embarked on a long partnership which only ended in the 34^th over at 190 during which several chances were not taken. 51-2 after 10 overs, then a low chance to w/k Ben's right hand unable to be taken in the 13^th, Leo's first. Archit bowled his 8 overs in one spell, a commendable 2-40 mixing leg breaks with googlies well.

Arjun (rm) replaced Archit in the 18^th. The total had risen to 111-2 at 20 over drinks. The bowling tended to be too short & the ground fielding not the best. Felix McDermott (rm) replaced Leo in the 21st. There was concern when Ani collided with a bench in a valiant, but unsuccessful, attempt to save a boundary. Gladly he was able to continue after treatment. 

Hunter reached 50* in the 22^nd with a boundary off Arjun. He had luck in the 24^th when the chance to mid off was dropped, the total 125. Opener Wilson reached 50* in the 26th, Felix was  replaced by  Freddie Mitten in the 28th, 157-2.

In the next Olly's first, a maiden, a dropped caught & bowled which 9/10 times he would have taken. Then some punishment in a wayward over that conceded 14. But in the next Hunter (83, 66b,11x4, 2x6) was caught by Olly off Freddie at extra cover, & three balls later in the same over, the left handed Wilson (67, 104b 6x4 ) was bowled by one that might have kept low, the bowler rewarded for targeting the stumps !191-4 after 34 overs.

McCarthy & Churlish pushed on as Olly & Leo continued, Aryan suffered in the 39^th conceding 17 & in the last Churlish (25, 15b 3x4 1x6) edged Leo to w/k Ben who took a good catch. Rochester (2) was run out from the 5th ball as Matthew Smith's accurate throw to bowler Leo, defeated him, 241-6 at the close.

In reply, Ani Kalluri & Olly Alexander faced the seam of Richardson & Kennedy. After 3 runs then 4 Olly (7) edged a good one from Kennedy to w/k Lowerson-Marshall in the second over, 8-1. There followed the best of the Academy batting as Ani & Ben put together a partnership of 54 for the second wicket in only 7 overs.

Ani striking 3x4 in Kennedy's second over & Ben 2x4 in his third, 44-1 after 6 overs, ahead of the rate !! Alfie Churlish (ob) entered the attack in over 8. Then in over 9 Ani (31, 25b 7x4) edged a cover drive off Richardson to Wilson at second slip. Another boundary to Ben in the next but in the 11^th he chipped Richardson to Consitt at extra cover, 67-3.

Sadly 67-4 as Aryan (0) pulled Churlish to mid wicket & in the next Leo (0) clipped Spencer to short extra cover, 5 down. Matthew (7,15b) struck a boundary off Churlish but in driving again, saw Rochester pull off a very good low catch at mid on, 81-6.

Overs 18.19 & 20 were maidens as Churlish & Rochester attacked. Arun (1,18b ) had battled but aiming to drive the off spin of Churlish , was caught by Hunter, 82-7. Archit (0, 5b ) was bowled by Churlish, Arjun struck a boundary off Rochester & drinks were taken at 82-8 after 21 overs.

In over 22 Arjun stroked 2 but then Freddie (0) playing back was bowled by Churlish, 86-9. Arjun stroked another 2 & then Felix (9,12b) 2x4 both off Hughes in the 24^th before he played on to the same bowler at 101, leaving Arjun 8* (19b 1x4).

A disappointing end to a game that could have been closer than the margin of defeat suggests if fielding had been better & catches taken. The Academy remain second in Sunday Div 1 on 189 behind leaders CLS on 236 & 5 ahead of Benwell Hill on 184.

Onward to Sun 2^nd August SNCC v Chester-le-Street (h) 1330 40/40.

Then Sun 9^th August SNCC Academy v Sacriston (a) 1330, 40/40

Sun 25^th July SNCC Academy  v Benwell Hill to be rearranged.

We hope you can be there.

Duncan.