ACADEMY UNABLE TO CLOSE OUT VICTORY AT CHESTER-LE-STREET. Sun 31st May 2026: NEPL Sunday Division 1: SNCC v Chester-le-Street (a) 40/40

31st May 2026

SNCC 137-6 (40o) Will Carr 52, Olly Alexander 50, Ben Lee 17*: M Jackson 0-10, C Armstrong 0-23, M Burdon 0-30, B Eagle 2-14, Z Hulme 1-34. H Simpson 2020.

Chester-le-Street 138-8 (35.5o) L Allen 41, B Eagle 65*, N Armstrong 6*: Will Young 3-5, Sam Lee 3-26, Elliott Mee 1-32, Joseph Dresser 0-24, Thomas Hunter 0-17, Leo Harper 0-16.

Chester-le-Street won by 2 wickets- 25 points, SNCC 11.

An intriguing & ultimately frustrating day at Ropery Lane as the Bulls amassed a cautious opening partnership of 100 in 27 overs between Will Carr (52) & Olly Alexander (45*) during which rotating the strike had seemed difficult, but were unable to push on, lost wickets & were indebted to a late cameo by Ben Lee (17*) to achieve 137-6 off their 40 overs.

Then to bowl well & reduce the hosts to 29-7 in the 12^th over, with Will Young & Sam Lee both taking 3 wickets, but not to be able to close out the win was disappointing as the more experienced Luke Allen (41) & Brett Eagle 65*, supported well by N Armstrong (6*) saw the Cestrians home in the 36^th over.

Will Carr & Olly Alexander faced the seam of Jackson & spin of C Armstrong. 35 without loss after 9 overs as Burdon (ob) & Hulme (rm) entered the attack. 65 after 13 overs when the experienced Eagle(rm) began an 8 over spell conceding only 18. In his 5th Will Carr (52, 79b, 8x4 1x6) whose form & timing were slowly returning, was bowled aiming to drive.

Simpson's leg spin then began his 8 over spell for only 20 & in his 4^th Olly Alexander (50, 100b, 2x4) drove to the right of mid on where Hood took the catch, 111- 2 after 32 overs. At the same score Joseph Dresser (5) went back to a leg break & was bowled by Simpson, then Sam Lee (0) forward, was lbw to Simpson, 114- 4 after 34 overs.

Hulme returned & then in the 37^th Leo Harper (4) edged to w/k N Armstong. 3 balls later a single refused by Ben stranded Matthew Rathbone (1) who was unable to retreat & he was run out, 119-6. 

Ben then produced some fine attacking shots 4,1 off Simpson & 6, 4 off Hulme & the innings ended at 137-6. The experienced Eagle & Simpson had bowled 16 overs & taken 4-34.

In reply Will Young & Sam Lee reduced the hosts to 29 -7 in the 12^th over. Atkinson (0) was bowled by Will with a 2nd ball jaffa. Hood was caught by Matthew Smith at square leg off Sam from the first ball of the second over, 6-2. In the 4th, Robson (3) edged Sam to w/k Matthew Rathbone, 14-3. In the 6th, Luke Allen pulled Sam for 6.

In the 7^th  Burdon (0) was run out, Elliott throwing from cover to w/k Matthew R, 24-4 & two balls later Simpson (0) was bowled by Will. In the 9^th Hulme (0) was bowled  by Will the ball swinging in & in the 12^th Jackson (0) pushing forward lost his off stump to Sam. 

So far so good, but as Elliott Mee (lb) & Joseph Dresser (rm) began spells, the experience of Allen & Eagle settled the home side & gradually they took the singles & despatched the occasional bad ball so at 20 over drinks the total had risen 70-7. Regrettably chances had been missed.

Then in the 23^rd the left handed Allen (41, 67b, 5x4,1x6) swung Elliott flat to deep square leg where Matthew Smith took an excellent catch, bending forward, 80-8. Eagle struck both Sam & Elliott for 6 in overs 26 & 27 & the total had risen to 104 after 30 overs. N Armstrong was defending stoutly. Sam & Will returned & conceded very few but there was time.

Thomas Hunter & Leo Harper entered the attack in overs 30 & 32 & then in over 34 Eagle launched 4,4,1: then 6,4 in the next & another boundary in the 36^th when the winning run was scored. Eagle 65*, (77b, 4x4, 4x6), Armstrong 6* (32b) a defensively sound, composed & vital supporting role.

Will an excellent 8-3-5-3, Sam 8-1-26-3 & Elliott 8-1-32-1, but in the end the lack of an experienced head told. Perhaps strike rotation could have been more positive, more pressure might have been applied in the field & more singles prevented, too many dropped chances at crucial moments, all things to learn from.

Onward to Sun 7^th June SNCC Academy v Sacriston (h) 40/40.from 1330. We hope you can be there.

Duncan.