BULLS ARE NEPL T20 WINNERS AS BURNMOOR & BURNOPFILED ARE DEFEATED. Sun 19 July 2026 : NEPL T20 finals day (Jesmo

19th Jul 2026

What a day at sunny Jesmond as the Bulls did their supporters proud by overcoming the challenge of Burnmoor in the semi final & then Burnopfield in the final to win the 1^st X1 T20 for the first time since 2022. 

Losing both tosses & being asked to bat first, an all round team effort spearheaded by the stroke play, seam bowling & athleticism of Jonny Bushnell supported by Adam Cragg in a vital partnership of 93 for  the 4^th wicket after the depths of 13-3 against Burnmoor. Then Will Alexander's 3-17 devastating the Burnmoor middle order, three boundary catches for Nathan Gough & another superb, one handed effort from Sol Bell at deep mid wicket.

Then in the final, 4x4 from Sol in over one set the tone which he, George, Bushy & Adam continued, to post 168-6. Then 3 wickets in two overs to set back the Burnopfield reply, a superb, running 20 yards, caught & bowled by Calum to dismiss the dangerous John Oswell & another athletic piece of fielding by Bushy to run out Gaffney, only to wobble a tad when Ethan Baker's reversing went into overdrive but Oli's three wickets in over 17 & another from the first ball of the 18^th from George sealed a memorable victory. Bushy's player of the day award was thoroughly deserved, but it was a true team effort.

SNCC 156-8 (20o) Jonny Bushnell 78*, Adam Cragg 36: Sean Tindale 1-27, Callum Harding 1-22, Josh Coughlin 1-30, Cody Hoffmeister 0-24, Graeme Bridge 0-11, Noah Worthy 0-15, Ross Greenwell 2-22, Luke Husband 0-5.

Burnmoor 88 all out (16.5o) Ross Greenwell 15, David Armstrong 15, Marcus Brown 16, Noah Worthy 12, Luke Husband 10*: Jonny Bushnell 1-22, Calum Fletcher 1-19, Will Alexander 3-17, George Drissell 1-7, Oli McGee 2-17 Will Phillips 1-4.

SNCC won by 68 runs, advance to final v Burnopfield.

Tough start as Hewey (0), George (4) & Sol (8) fell in the first three overs, 13-3. Then a crucial partnership of 93 between Bushy & Adam ended only by Adam (36, 24b 3x4 1x6) being adjudged lbw, reversing at 106 in the 14th. A maximum to Oli (8), a partnership of 19 for the 7^th wicket, another straight 6 to Bushy in the 19^th the innings ending at 156-8 as Nathan (7) strove to return for 2. 

A fast start by Burnmoor, 32 in the third when Greenwell (15) pulled Bushy to deep square where Nathan obliged. 39-2 in Will's first as Armstrong (15) edged to short 3^rd man for Oli to take  the catch. In Will's next Poynter (3) was bowled & in his third Tindale (0) edged to w/k Adam, 58-4, Will 3-17, the powerful middle order gone.

Coughlin (0) swung Calum to deep square leg where Nathan took his second catch, 59-5 after 10 overs. In his first Oli persuaded Brown (16) to sweep to deep square leg where Nathan took his third catch with aplomb, 63-6. This became 66-7 in the next as Hoffmeister (2) was lbw to Will Phillips.

A pause but in over 16 Worthy (12) on the crease s bowled by George & in the next Harding (2) launched Oli to deep mid wicket where Sol, seemingly moving in quickly, had to retreat & then take a superb, one handed catch above his head as it was destined for 6. Husband 10*, Burnmoor 88 all out, Graeme Bridge, a damaged hand & unable to bat.  A very good win by 68 runs, the sun shone, the final to begin at 1700.

SNCC 168-6 (20o) Sol Bell 40, George Drissell 25, Jonny Bushnell 54, Adam Cragg 29: Harry Crawshaw 0-49, Matthew Oswell 1-34, Josh Bousfield 2-20, George Stephens 1-33, Callum Gaffney 1-27.

Burnopfield 119ao (17.1o) Callum Gaffney 22, Ethan Baker 66, Matthew Oswell 9: Jonny Bushnell 2-5, Calum Fletcher 1-26, George Drissell 1-21, Will Alexander 1-35, Will Phillips 0-10, Oli McGee 4-18.

SNCC won by 49 runs, advance to regional round. (date, opponents & loaction tbc)

Sol stroked 4x4 through extra cover & a dab from Crawshaw's (sla) first over then launched Oswell to long on for 6 in over two. Hewey (6) was disapponted to inside edge onto his stumps in the third off Bousfield, 29-1.

George hit his 4^th ball for 4 to square leg & two overs later swung Stephens (lm) for 4 straight then 6 to long on. Then another 6 to mid wicket off Bousefield but perished in the next, caught at long on for 25 (21b 2x4 2x6), 60-2 in the 8th.

Gaffney (sla) bowled a spell of 4 overs for 27 & in his second Sol (40, 33b, 5x4,1x6) was bowled as he aimed to dab, 91-3 after 12 overs. Adam joined Bushy & the pair added 63 in almost 7 overs as Burnopfield rotated  their bowlers. Adam reversed, Bushy hit straight sending Crawshaw for 6 to the Cemetery wall, an over that cost 15, 116-3 after 15 overs.

Gafney conceded 11 in the 16^th as Bushy drove through extra cover & Adam pulled to mid wicket. Stephens suffered in the 17^th 18 runs coming as Bushy struck 3x4 to cover, fine third man & backward square leg, assisted by 4 leg byes, 145 after 17 overs.

In  the 19^th Bushy (54, 37b, 5x4 2x6) skied to cover & bowler Bousefield ran 15 yards to take the catch, 155-4. Oli (1) skied to square leg & in the last Adam swept a 6 to square leg but was run out from the last ball returning for an improbable 2, Adam (29, 21b 3x4 1x6), David Edwards (5*).

In reply Whitfield edged Bushy to George at slip from ball one. Dot, wide then wicket as Crawshaw (0) was bowled, 1-2 after one over. J Oswell edged Calum to fine leg for 4 but two balls later skied to mid wicket where Calum raced 20 yards to take an excellent, tumbling catch, 5-3. A life for Baker (1*) as a chance to David at long on moving in, was spilled.

In over 6, Gaffney drove George's first ball for 6 to long on & in Will's first 2x4 as an edge & a pull went to the boundary, 29-3. In George's next, Bushy's pace, pick up & accurate throw from deep mid wicket to the bowler's end saw Gaffney (21) run out , 30-4. Baker struck a boundary in the same over.

47-4 after 10 overs, then in the 11^th after 2x2 to Oswell (9) & an uncharacteristic fumble by Nathan at deep square leg gave Oswell a life, but then Will bowled him, a full delivery uprooting leg stump 53-5.

Baker drove Will Phillips straight for 6 & then Calum for 6 straight in the next. The next 3 balls going 4.4.4, a reversing spree to third man, 19 off over 14, 90-5, inventive !

Robson (8) swung Oli to deep square leg where Nathan obliged, 91-6 after 15 overs. Baker then plundered 2,6,6,4 off Will straight & to mid wicket reaching 52*, 112-6 after 16 overs. In over 17 Oli took three wickets. Ball one Bousfield (1) advanced, missed & was stumped by Adam. Ball 2 wide, ball 3 1, ball 4 4, ball 5 Baker (66, 48b 6x4 4x6) was caught at long off by Bushy, ball 5 1, ball 6 Windley (1) was caught by Sol at deep mid wicket, 119-9.

From ball one of the 18^th over Stephens (1) drove George to David at long off to take the catch, so a win for the Bulls by 49 runs, cue celebrations !!

A memorable day, two team efforts, many good catches taken, very good ground fielding, inventive batting, important partnerships, smiles all round. We must continue! Details of the next round tbc asap.

Duncan.