BULLS PROGRESS IN BANKS 2ND X1 T20 WITH GOOD WIN OVER GATESHEAD FELL. Fri 12 June 2026. NEPL Banks T20 Round 2: SNCC v Gateshead Fell (h

12th Jun 2026

SNCC 138-7 (20o) Angus Southern 14, Will Carr 11, Nathan Gough 27, Will Phillips 19, Ru Fletcher 29: Luke Angus 2-22, Archie North 0-32, Ravi Muthe 2-22, Rob Stacey 2-27, Lahiru Wijesinghe 1-31.

Gateshead Fell 61ao (13o) Rob Stacey 18, Louis Meek 16, Harry Bryan 11: Ben Hobbs 1-8, Nathan Gough 0-11, Sam Lee 1-15, Hamish Barrie 4-10, Ru Fletcher 0-11, Will Phillips 1-1, Elliott Mee 2-1.

SNCC won by 77 runs- progress to ¼ final on Fri 10 July.

On a cool evening the Fell won the toss & chose to field, a maximum of four overs per bowler in a 20 over/side game. Sam Ewart & Angus Southern, standing in as skipper, faced the seam of Luke Angus & Archie North.

After 2 & a wide Sam (2), playing forward, was bowled by Angus. North conceded 4 wides & 18 in total in his first two overs then in the fifth, Angus (14,11b 2x4) aimed to the leg side but the top edge lobbed to be caught at cover by Etherington, 26-2.

Will Carr (11, 2x4) defending, was bowled by Stacey in the 8^th at 46. Nathan was positive striking Stacey for 6 to wide long on & 4's to cover & straight but at 74 in the 12^th he was caught by Muthe on the deep mid wicket boundary for 27 (26b).

A splendid partnership of 44 ensued.  Ru Fletcher & Will Phillips ran very well, many singles being taken. The leg breaks of Wijesinghe proving attractive until at 119, in Muthe's last over, the 18th, Will (19,18b, 2x4) was caught by w/k Gray, aiming to cut. Hamish Barrie (2) playing slightly early, lobbed a catch back to the bowler three balls later.

Ru (29, 29b 2x4) succumbed in the 19^th stumped by w/k Gray off Wijesinghe. A profitable last over of 8 saw the Bulls finish on 138-7, Olly Alexander 7* (6b) , Ben Hobbs 7*.(4b), a par score it seemed. The wicket slowish but taking turn, so batters playing too early.

In reply Etherington & Stacey faced the seam of Ben Hobbs (rm) & Nathan Gough (lm). A wicket first ball as Etherington (0) hit Ben hard & flat to mid off where Angus took a smart, chest high catch. Goughy suffered in over 2 conceding 11, then Sam Lee 7 in over 4 & Hamish 7 in over 5.

But in over 6 Sam persuaded Stacey (18) to swing a shortish delivery to deep square leg where Hamish took a neat catch, 37-2. Only 1 run from over 7 & the scores identical at this point, 47-2.

Then a piece of magic from Olly Alexander at long leg running in & as Meek (16) came back for 2, Olly ran him out from 30 yards with a direct hit to the w/k stumps !! In Hamish's next over two wickets as Goughy sprinted from deep mid wicket 25 yards to be in front of  the home changing room &, in full dive, took an outstanding low catch in two hands .....wow !! Fielding matters & lifts the whole team.

Two balls later Muthe (0) played back but his attempted cut edged to w/k Sam, 51-5 after 9 overs. In Hamish's next two more wickets as Bryan (11) aiming to punch off the back foot, missed & was bowled. 5 balls later Connor (1) was bowled through the gate, 59-7.

Will Phillips (ob) struck in over 12 as North (0) went back but was bowled, 60-9. Then another heartwarming story, as Elliott Mee (14), leg breaks, making his 2^nd X1 debut, took two wickets in his only over. A full toss to Gray (2) but his slog sweep missed & he was plumb lbw. The last ball of the over saw Angus (0) bowled  through the gate by a googly !! Bravo  young Sir !! The Fell 61 all out.

A win by 77 runs in only 13 overs, all 7 bowlers used, positive batting, excellent fielding, highlighted by two outstanding pieces & a memorable evening for a debutant. The smiles were evident!

Onward to the ¼ final on 10 July SNCC v Benwell Hill (h). We hope you can be there, excitement guaranteed.

Duncan.