BULLS BOWLERS SET UP EMPHATIC WIN AT CHESTER-LE-STREET. Sat 2nd May 2026: NEPL Premier Division: SNCC v Chester-le- Street (a) 50/50o win/lose.

2nd May 2026

Chester-le-Street 142ao (42.5o) Cole Pearce 30, Josh Wilson 39*: Jonny Wightman 4-33, Jonny Bushnell 2-28, Calum Fletcher 0-8, George Drissell 0-24, Oli McGee 2-19, Nathan Gough 2-30.

SNCC 143-2 (31.1o) Chris Hewison 20, Sol Bell 66*, George Drissell 42, Jonny Bushnell 3*: Quentin Hughes 0-22, Matthew Robinson 0-19, Zach Mawdsley 1-31, Jacob Heslop 0-21, Josh Wilson 0-26, Evan Hughes Rowlands 1-21.

SNCC won by 8 wickets - 24 points, CLS 1.

For the Bulls Will Alexander was claimed by the RGS so Nathan Gough came into the starting X1. A pleasant day at Ropery Lane, the hosts won the toss & chose to bat. Coxon (rh) & McCann (lh) faced the swing of Jonny Wightman (houses) & seam of Jonny Bushnell (lane).

Wighters was hitting a good length & swinging the orange ball. In the 5^th McCann (5) aimed to mid wicket where Calum good a good diving catch, 18-1. Next ball the left-handed Gaffney (0) was palpably lbw, 18-2.

In Wighters's 4^th Coxon (11) was trapped in front lbw & in the next Thompson (7) playing back, also succumbed lbw to a quicker delivery from Bushy, 28-4. Hughes Rowlands & Pearce regrouped, Calum bowled two overs but felt a leg strain, so Oli joined George in the attack.

In Oli's second Hughes Rowlands (13) edged low to slip where George took a good catch, 60-5. The next 10 overs of spin yielded only 24 runs. George's 7 over spell of accurate off spin  included 3 maidens. At 85 in the 27^th Nathan Gough's  first, Pearce (30,54b, 4x4) who had batted nicely,  gloved a short ball to w/k Rob, 85-6.

In the next Oli bowled Robinson (2), 90-7. Quentin Hughes & Josh Wilson dug in as Wightman & Bushnell returned & then George. At 117 in the 39^th Q Hughes (11, 49b,1x4) drove expansively to a ball outside the off stump & edged to w/k Rob off Nathan, 8 down.

In the next Mawdsley (2) was bowled by Wighters playing across the line, 120-9. Wilson (39, 77b, 5x4) had been gathering but now attacked taking 10 from the 41^st & 6 from the 42^nd . But at 142 in the 43^rd he drove back towards Bushy who took a fine catch on follow through diving forward & to his left.

An all round good bowling effort, 19 overs of spin, 6 maidens conceding only 43 runs, George 9-3-24-0, Oli 10-3-19-2 : 24 overs of seam for 99 & 8 wickets Jonny W 4, Jonny B 2, Nathan 2, backed up by excellent fielding keeping batters under pressure.

In reply Chris Hewison & Sol Bell faced the spin of Quentin Hughes (houses) & left arm seam of Robinson (lane). 28-0 after 4 overs before Mawdsley replaced Robinson. Then at 36 in the 8^th Hewey (20, 25b 3x4) drove Mawdsley hard to mid off where Coxon, moving to his right, took a very good catch, head high, in two hands.

George & Sol continued, content to be patient against Q who bowled his 10 overs for 22. Sol drove Mawdsley for 6 in the 12th, pulling & driving two more boundaries in the 14th. Heslop (sla) began a long & accurate spell from the lane in the 16th. 

George greeted Wilson's (ob) with 2x2 in the 21^st then 3x6 straight & to mid wicket in the 23rd. Sol cut Hughes Rowlands medium pace twice to the point boundary in the 25^th but the match defining partnership of 97 ended in the 29^th as George (42, 51b, 1x4, 3x6) aimed to drive but was  bowled, 133-2.

Sol & Bushy saw the Bulls home after 31.1 overs, Sol 66* (100b, 10x4 1x6) a timely & patient innings as fluency returned & Bushy (3*12b). A comprehensive win to remain undefeated with Burnmoor at the top of the Premier League table.

Onward to 

Tues 5^th May SNCC 1st X1 v DCA (h) (NEPL T20 group C )

Sat 9^th May SNCC 1st X1 v Hetton Lyons (h) (NEPL Premier Div, 1200, 50/50 win/lose.)

Sun 10th May SNCC 1st X1 v Bradford  & Bingley (h) ( Nat Club Championship Rd 1,1300, 40/40)

We hope you can be there to cheer the team on. Excitement guaranteed!

Duncan.