BULLS BATTLE TO WIN AT THE HILL: TEAM EFFORT, MANY CONTRIBUTIONS. Sat 27 June 2026: NEPL Div 2: SNCC v Benwell Hill (a0 110o win/lose/draw.

27th Jun 2026

Benwell 205-9 (58o) Ayush Chakraborty 24, Andy Dawson 62, Aaron Armstrong 70*: Will Young 1-14, Allan Davidson 2-19, Sam Lee 1-7, James Lunn 3-30, Nicky Phillips 1-42, Will Phillips 0-20, Ben Hobbs 0-32, Ru Fletcher 1-29.

SNCC 206-5 (49.2o) Will Phillips 28, Ben Hobbs 46, Ru Fletcher 72*, James Lunn 16, Ben Sidney-Wilmot 18*: Nazifullah Habibi 2-30, Nick Walder 0-22, Michael Maclauchlin 0-22, Ayush Chakraborty 2-31, Aaron Armstrong 1-50, Jayem Patel 0-16, Harsh Patel 0-12.

SNCC won by 5 wickets- 29 points, Benwell Hill 4.

Another sunny day at Denton Bank saw the home team choose to bat, be reduced to 67-7 then, assisted by two easy chances spurned, recover very well via a Dawson & Armstrong partnership of 111 for the 8th wicket to last the 58 overs, 9 down at 205.

In reply the Bulls stuttered at 16-2  but partnerships of 52 between Ben Hobbs & Will Phillips, then 51 between Ru Fletcher & James Lunn & finally 60* between Ru & Ben Sid saw the Bulls home at 206-5 in the 50th over, Ru 72* Ben 18*.

A good start for the Hill as Chakraborty struck 4x4 in the overs 2 & 3. Then in the 4^th H Patel (0) looped a glance off Allan Davidson toward square leg where Olly made good ground in to take a tumbling catch, 17-1.

In the 7^th Chakraborty (24) skied Will Young to mid off where a retreating Nicky took another smart catch, 27-2. In the next Allan bowled Maclaughlin (0) off a pad, 31-3. 4 maidens in 6 overs as J Patel & L Hynd resisted. Sam Lee began a spell in the 13^th & James Lunn in the 14th.

At 38 in the 17^th J Patel (7) was bowled by Sam playing across the line. In the next over Hynd (3) forward to Lunny edged to w/k Ben Sid, 38-5. The total rose by only 13 in 9 overs & then in the 28^th  I Habibi (10) was bowled by Lunny, 52-6. This became 53-7 in his next as Safi (4) was adjudged lbw on the back foot.

There followed the aforementioned partnership between Dawson & Armstrong. The latter assisted by two lives in the 20's & 30's at short leg & square leg. Nicky & James bowled 10 overs in tandem 102-7 after 39 overs.

Will Phillps began a spell in over 40 & Ben Hobbs in over 41. Armstong had begun to play some shots & the total rose to 159 after 50 overs. Then in the 51^st Dawson (62, 53b, 8x4 1x6) a chanceless innings, skied Ru, in his first over, to mid off where Sam retreated a few yards to his left to take the catch. In the next a returning Nicky had N Habibi (1) lbw, 165-9.

Armstrong was emboldened as Ru & Nicky sought the final wicket & the final total reached 205-9 after 58 overs, Armstrong 70*(105b, 5x4 3x6) a splendid effort for his team.

In reply Angus Southern & Olly Alexander faced the seam of N Habibi & N Walder. In over one Olly (0) flashed outside off stump edging to w/k Hynd. Ben Hobbs entered at 3 after a 90 for the U19's earlier in the week. But in the 5^th Angus (10) edged Habibi low to slip where Dawson took a good catch, 16-2. Hobbs & Will Phillips played positively  & the total had reached 68 in the 14^th when Will (28) pulled the off spin of Chakraborty straight to mid wicket where Dawson took another smart catch, ending a partnership of 52.

Hobbsy had driven nicely through cover & had reached 46 (59b, 7x4) in the 21st when he edged Chakraborty to w/k Hynd. 95-4. Ru & Lunny settled, content to push singles & rotate as the spin of Chakraborty & Armstrong wheeled away. 

The total had reached 146 in the 35^th when Lunny (16) pushed forward but edged to slip off Armstrong, 5 down. Ben Sid joined Ru who reached a deserved 50 * in the 44^th with a boundary off J Patel.  The innings progressed smoothly & the winning runs were struck by Ru, a 6 into the car park off H Patel. Ru 72* (114b, 7x4 1x6), Ben 18* (41b, 1x4), a patient & successful chase.  A gutsy win based on four solid partnerships, fielding lapses to be avoided please, concentration at all times.

This win sees the 2's in third place in Div 2 on 207 points, 40 adrift of leaders CLS. Onward to 

Sun 29 June Banks Bowl 100 SNCC v Sunderland & Newcastle (Ashbrooke)... see separate report of the 2's good win.

Wed 1 July SNCC v Lanchester (h) Roseworth Trophy, round 2 20/20 from 1800.

Sat 4 July SNCC v Tynemouth (h) 110 overs win/lose/draw from 1100. We hope you can be there.

Duncan.