BULLS BEGIN NATIONAL CAMPAIGN WITH 8 WICKET WIN OVER BRADFORD &

10th May 2026

Bradford & Bingley 158ao (38.1o): Jacob Slater 26, Hector Bowerman 17, Matthew Swallow 16, Jos Pyrah 37, James Swallow 26: Jonny Wightman 1-44, Calum Fletcher 2-21, George Drissell 3-14, Will Alexander 3-33, Oli McGee 0-46.

SNCC 159-2 (34.2o) Chris Hewison 6, Sol Bell 81*, George Drissell 34, David Edwards 20*: Udith Madushan Wainakulasuir Patabadige 1-20, Jack Hartley 0-33, James Swallow 0-30, Bradley Reeve 0-32, Reece Cockshott 1-38.

SNCC won by 8 wickets:

Group 2, Round 2 - SNCC v Richmondshire Sun 31^st May (h) 1300 40/40.

The ground had recovered well from the rain of Friday & Saturday, the sun shone on a cool day, Bradford won the toss & chose to bat. The Bulls missing Bushnell & Cragg, brought in Will Alexander & Sam Ewart.

Slater & Whitford faced the seam of Wightman (Grove) & Fletcher (Park).  Seam movement seemed evident & the score rose steadily to 21 in the 5th. In the 6^th Whitford (6) forward was bowled by Fletcher. Slater struck Wighters for consecutive 4's in the 9^th to cover & mid wicket, but in George's first, the 10^th, after one big appeal, Slater (26, 30b, 5x4) was lbw to the next ball low on the front pad, 37-2

Seven overs of George & Will conceded only 22 then in the 18^th Moffat (10) edged onto pad lobbing towards short leg where w/k Rob made good ground to take a diving catch, 66-3. In George's next Bowerman (17) advanced, aiming to leg but missed & Rob completed a neat stumping.

George completed his 8 over spell for only 14 with 3 wickets stalling any momentum for the visitors. Oli began then Cal returned & after 30 overs the total was 93-4. Two sharp singles were taken but in the main the fielding had been exemplary with Rob behind the stumps, Jonny, Sam, Nathan in the ring or deeper & Will, Oli & Cal off their own bowling. keeping the pressure on the batters.

At 96 in the 31st Nathan sprinted towards deep extra cover, gathered, turned & threw to Oli, the bowler, who ran out M Swallow (16) as he returned for 2, outstanding: 5 down.

The scoring accelerated as Pyrah (37) attacked but after 2x4 from Will, he lofted to long on where Sol took a well judged catch. Next ball Hartley (0) was adjudged to have edged behind for Rob to take, 129-7. 

In the next, after 5 singles, Jonny  bowled Reeve (2). James Swallow struck Oli for 2x6 straight & to long on but in the next he was neatly caught by Sam at long on off Calum. In Will's 8^th Madushan (8) was caught at deep mid wicket by Calum, Cockshott 6*. Bradford all out for 158 in the 39th over, 3 wickets for George & Will, two for Calum, 1 for Jonny, a good run out & several important pieces of fielding saving c 30 runs.

In reply Hewison & Bell faced the seam of Madushan & Hartley. The Sri Lankan Madushan was getting movement off the wicket, both batters were playing & missing & edges went to fine leg. In the 4th Sol's hard pull to mid wicket was palmed over the bar. In the 7^th Chris advanced to drive Madushan but edged low to w/k Whitford who held a good diving catch, low to his left, 16-1.

Next ball a concerted appeal for a catch behind from George's first ball was refused. 29-1 after 10 overs. J Swallow (rm) & Reeve (sla) entered the attack. Sol used his feet to the spinner, driving straight & to mid wicket & cutting with timing. As Cockshott (ob) entered the attack, singles were the order of the day.

79-1 at drinks after 21 overs. As Madushan returned, still finding the inside edge, Sol drove stylishly through extra cover for 4 to get to 53*. 115-1 after 27 & then in the next George (34, 54b, 3x4) advanced to drive the off spin of Cockshott to leg but edged high to cover. An important partnership of 99 for the second wicket. In the same over David Edwards back foot drive through cover for 3 & Sol's sweep for 4 maintained the scoring rate. 

Still some playing & missing to bowling from the Grove end but an over of 7 wides from Hartley helped & then the end came swiftly as J Swallow conceded 15 in the 34^th . Sol driving to mid wicket & long on, David to long off & off the back foot through cover. The pair ran well & when Sol swept Reeve for 2 to fine leg in the next, the game was won.

Sol 81* (108b, 10x4) fluency & timing returning as he patiently built his innings David 20* (26b, 3x4) playing some lovely off side shots after initially failing to connect outside his off stump.

Onward to round 2 and a visit from old adversaries Richmondshire on Sun 31^st May (h) from 1300, 40/40.

NEPL Premier Division: Sat 16^th May: SNCC  1st X1 v Newcastle (a) 1200 50/50 win/lose.

We hope you can be there.

Duncan.