BULLS GAIN EMPHATIC 9 WICKET WIN OVER HETTON LYONS. Sat 25th July 2026:NEPL Division 2: SNCC v Hetton Lyons (h) 119o win/lose/draw.

25th Jul 2026

Hetton Lyons 105 ao (43.1o) Chris Martin 11, Taylor Moulder 16, Miles Birbeck 13, Matthew Tomys 13, Gary Adey 19, Joe Keegan 15: Nathan Gough 4-40, Will Young 0-16, Nicky Phillips 2-22, Joseph Dresser 2-19, Ru Fletcher 1-0, Hamish Barrie 1-0.

SNCC 106-1 (21.4o) Nick Tomlinson 48, Sam Ewart 53*, Angus Southern 4*: Gary Adey 0-38, Aaron Watson 0-38, Miles Birbeck 1-24, Taylor Moulder 0-14.

SNCC won by 9 wickets- 26 points, Hetton Lyons 0.

In cool, overcast conditions with a gusting westerly wind, the Lyons won the toss & chose to bat. Martin, returning from injury, & Moulder faced the seam of Nathan Gough (lm- Grove) & Will Young (rm- Park). Two maidens to begin, including a chip toward mid wicket just short of Joseph in Will's first. Steady progress, Martin clipping over mid wicket, Moulder driving through the covers, 24 without loss on a fast outfield. Another maiden & then in over 9 Martin (11) drove Nathan to mid wicket where Joseph took a neat catch at head height, 28-1. Another maiden to Will so 28-1 after 10 overs.

In Nathan's 7th over, two wickets as first Moulder (16) aiming to leg, was bowled leg stump, & then Alex Birbeck (0) lbw first ball, 35-3. Nicky began a long spell in the 14^th & in the 19^th Nathan took his 4^th wicket as Noah Worthy (3), half forward, was bowled, 43-4. At drinks one over later, 47-4 as Miles Birbeck steered to fine leg.

Joseph began a spell in the 25^th as Nicky's control of length deterred stroke play. Thus far the ground fielding had been good, Hamish at point, Ben at cover, George quick around the outfield & Sam tidy behind the stumps. 

At 57-4 after 24 overs, Joseph began a spell from the Grove end & in his third bowled Miles Birbeck (13) the middle stump knocked back, & then in Nicky's next, Matthew Tomys (13) advanced but missed & w/k Sam stumped him, 69-5. 69 -6 in the next as Harry Keegan (2) was bowled by Joseph. In his next Joseph was unlucky that a chance to Angus at first slip was unable to be taken. Lunch was taken at 74-7 after 33 overs. Nicky 10-4-13-1 to this point, Joe Keegan (1*) & Gary Adey (2*), defending.

A ring field, one slip apart, no close catchers, as Nicky continued & then Nathan returned in search of a fifth, swopping between over & around the wicket but to no avail. Adey edged & then drove 2x4 off Nathan & then 2+ 4 to third man & fine leg in his next. Keegan followed suit with an edge for 4 but a pleasing cover drive to follow, 195-7.

In over 42 Adey (19) launched Nicky to deep mid wicket where Hamish made good ground in to take the catch. In the 43rd over, with the 4th ball, Ru bowled Joe Keegan (15) aiming to leg & with the first delivery of the 44^th over, Aaron Watson (0) carved Hamish to Will at mid on to take the catch, 105 all out. The innings closed at 1410, the sun had emerged.

Goughy 4-40 from 15 overs, back to form with the ball, Nicky miserly, 2-22 from 15 overs, tidy spells from Will at the start & Joseph in the middle, finished off by cameos from Ru & Hamish, supported by good fielding.

In reply Nick Tomlinson (lh) & Sam Ewart  (rh )faced the experienced seam of Adey (rm Grove) & Watson (rm Park).  In the first 10 overs 4 maidens as  the ball nibbled about & Sam (8*) the beneficiary of a dropped chance at mid on in over 5, Nick (9*) 18 without loss.

28 -0 after 10 overs then 4 to Nick to fine leg but he was then dropped at cover two balls later. A pick up 6 to square leg by Sam off Watson, lodged in the balcony of the end house in Roseworth Terrace. The replacement ball seemed to do less !! The opening bowlers continued but suffered in over 16 as Sam drove Watson twice straight for 4 & in the next Nick drove Adey to long on. In the same over, Sam was dropped at slip, but two balls later pulled to mid wicket for 6, 68-0 after 17 overs.

A bowling change saw Miles Birbeck replace Watson but he was driven & clipped by Nick for 4. Moulder's off spin fared no better as Sam stroked 3x4 to long off, cover & a cut past point, getting to 53* (60b 8x4 2x6) in the process, 97-0 after 20 overs.

The end was nigh, Nick clipped Moulder to square leg & a single to cover but in the next, just as he aimed to cut for his own 50, Nick (48, 69b,10x4) was very well caught by Martin left-handed at gully. Angus (4*) entered & stroked his first delivery, gloriously. through cover for the winning boundary after 21.4 overs The sun still shone, the day had become warmer.

An emphatic win against a Lyons team with some younger players  gaining experience. The Bulls stay third in Division 2 on 281 points behind Newcastle on 304 & leaders Chester-le-Street on 332, all having played 15.

Onward to

Sat 1^st Aug NEPL Division 2:  SNCC v Newcastle (a) 110o win/lose/draw from 1100.

Fri 7 Aug SNCC v Burnmoor(a) Banks Bowl 100 1/4 final from 1800.

Sat 8 Aug NEPL Division 2 : SNCC v Felling (a) 110o win/lose/draw from 1100,

before the last 5 fixtures which are win /lose.

We hope you can be there.

Duncan.