BULLS INCREASE LEAD AT TOP OF PREMIER DIVISION WITH WIN AT SHOTLEY

4th Jul 2026

Shotley Bridge 125ao (41.5o) Hayden Mustard 34, Ross Burdon 22, Jack Camarda 39, Andrew Mawson 11: Jonny Wightman 0-26, Jonny Bushnell 0-35, Calum Fletcher 3-29, Oli McGee 2-18, George Drissell 3-16.

SNCC 129-2 (25.4o) Sol Bell 47, George Drissell 74*, Jonny Bushnell 8*: Joe Gibson 1-38, Kieran Milburn 1-30, Ross Burdon 0-30, Jack Temple 0-14, Matt Golightly 0-17.

SNCC won by 8 wickets- 23 points, Shotley Bridge 1.

An overcast day & a greenish tinge to the wicket persuaded the Bulls to ask the hosts to bat. Mustard & Burdon faced the swing of Wightman (river) & seam of Bushnell (trees). Four tough slip catching opportunities were unable to be taken in Wightman's first three overs as the speed & low bounce unusually defeated the safe, diving hands of Hewi & Driss.

In over 4 Mustard struck 3x4 off Bushnell to leg & Burdon 2x4 in over 6, 34-0. Calum Fletcher entered the attack in over 7 & in his second Burdon (22) drove to point where Sol's dive forward & take, after the umpires had consulted, was deemed a good one, 47-1.

Camarda began positively taking 9, then  6 into the legside off Cal in the 12th. Sadly for the home side the ball became damp & softened after encountering standing water over the boundary & the scoring rate slowed, 7 runs in 7 overs. Bushy returned but it was Calum in over 20 who persuaded Mustard (34) to drive to Driss at short extra cover, 75-2. 

Oli McGee entered the attack in over 25 as Calum had just finished his 9^th in the spell & began with a maiden. Greenwell & Camarda were cautious until Camarda struck 4 then 2 in the 26th. Then in Calum's next Camarda (39, 57 b 4x4) swung to deep square leg where Bushy took the catch, 93-3 all three to Calum.

Greenwell (7) driving but skying, edged to George at slip in Oli's next over, 4 down. Calum finished a 12 over spell in over 30, 12-4-29-3, a demonstration of exemplary line & length. In the next Milburn (6 ) was lbw to Oli & lunch was taken at 96-5.

George Drissell began a spell in over 32 & he & Oli were unchanged thereafter. In over 34 two wickets for George as Andrews (4) skied to point where Jonny W took the catch & 3 balls later Collingwood (0) edged low for w/k Rob Peyton to take a smart catch,103-7.

Temple took singles, Gibson struck a boundary but at 113 in the 39^th Bushy's swift pick up & direct hit to the w/k stumps defeated non striker Gibson's attempted single, magnificent, 8 down. Mawson struck 4 then 6 off Driss but in Oli's next Bushy once again starred as an attempted single by Temple (8) to deepish cover was defeated by his swift move in, pick up & throw to bowler Oli who completed the run out, 124-9.

In the 42^nd over Mawson (11) drove back to bowler Driss who took the catch. After a fast & somewhat unfortunate beginning, the Bulls pulled it back well. Calum's accuracy, Oli's change of pace in a good spell 9-2-18-3, George's relentless 5.5-0-16-3  making it 22 wicket for the season to date alongside Jonny Wightman, who needs 6 to overtake Matty Muchall (582) as the leading NEPL seamer wicket taker, & Bushy's outstanding fielding & better second spell, combining to restrict the hosts to 125 all out.

In reply Hewi & Sol faced the seam of Gibson & quick off spin of Milburn. Hewi (0) succumbed in over 1 inside edging & bowled by Gibson. Sol then struck Gibson for 4x4 from consecutive deliveries, to cover & clipping to leg. Driss took 2 then 4 off Milburn so after 4 overs the total was 25-1.

After 10 overs the total had risen to 44 - 3x4 to George, 5x4 to Sol. Burdon (ob)  entered the attack in over 11 but conceded 7. It seemed  that Burdon & Temple were either too short or too full & the total rose to 77 after over 16. In the 17th Sol took 3x4 off Burdon pulling to backward square, off the back foot past point & cover driving. 

Then at 93 in the 19^th Sol (47, 51b 9x4) aimed to make room but mistimed Milburn to mid on. Another excellent innings with a frustrating end, 616 league runs for Sol so far in 2026, there are worthwhile targets ahead ! George reached 50* in the 22^nd steering Gibson to third man before despatching to mid wicket for 4 more, 103-2.

Golightly entered the attack in over 24,  George took 4 then 1. In the next Bushy did likewise & in the last Driss pulled a full toss for 6 to square leg & one ball later launched another to long on to win the game.

129-2 after 25.4o, Driss 74* (83b, 10x4 2x6), Bushy 8* (16b 1x4), a comprehensive win, 23 points but given results elsewhere, including the unfortunate abandonment at Burnopfield (cow stopped play !), means the Bulls have a 56 point lead at  the top of the Premier Division. All tough games to come as the holiday season approaches.

Onward to Sat 11 July SNCC v Seaham Harbour (a) from 1100, 110o win/lose/draw. We hope you can be there.

Duncan.