BULLS SLIP TO 6 WICKET DEFEAT AT TYNEMOUTH IN SEASON OPENER. NEPL Second Division Sat 18th April: SNCC v Tynemouth (a) 100 overs, win/lose.

18th Apr 2026

SNCC 242 ao (50o) Sam Ewart 20, Hamish Barrie 48, Ben Sidney-Wilmot 22, Joseph Dresser 33, Ben Hobbs 36*: Josh Koen 1-34, Niall Sinclair 2-38, Neil Bennett 1-60, Gregor Pearce 4-28, Noah Rae 1-71.

Tynemouth 244-4 (45o) Joel Hull-Denholm 39, Patrick Hallam 19, Marcus Turner 28, Barry Stewart 44, Zach Larner 83*: George McConnell 0-41, Ben Hobbs 0-41, Hamish Barrie 0-48, Nicky Phillips 2-30, Joseph Dresser 0-32, Will Phillips 2-42.

Tynemouth won by 6 wickets;  24 points, SNCC 5.

A rusty batting display on a slow surface, an inability to cope with the lb/g of Pearce who took 4 wickets, indebted to a composed innings by Hamish Barrie (48), a partnership of 56 for the 6th wicket between Hamish & Ben Sid & from 142-7 then 161-9, a determined 10th wicket partnership of 81 between Joseph Dresser & Ben Hobbs got the Bulls to a defendable total.

In reply, solid batting by the Tynemouth top order, took advantage of inconsistencies of line, length & fielding frailties & from 143-3 after 31 overs, accelerated as Larner drove cleanly straight & over mid wicket, 101 runs coming in 14 overs, leading to a comfortable win for the hosts at the end of the 45^th over by 6 wickets.

A sunny day at Preston Avenue, the wicket being cut as the teams arrived at 1045 for a 1200 start, was green, soft & towards the Pavilion side. The Bulls gave debuts to Nicky Phillips, Will Phillips & Hamish Barrie. The hosts won the toss & invited the Bulls to bat.

Tomlinson (lh) & Ewart (rh) faced the seam of Koen (rm Preston Ave) & Sinclair (lm Golf course). In the 7^th Nick (7) seemed unlucky to be adjudged caught by w/k Harland off Koen, 28-1. 4 runs later Sam (20) played on attempting to hook Sinclair, 32-2. 

Nathan (14) drove Bennett to Turner at mid on at 53 in the 13^th & at the same score, Will (6) was bowled round his legs sweeping, by Gregor Pearce, once of this parish. Pearce bowled his 10 overs straight through & finished with a very creditable 4-28 as Will Carr (13) left a googly to be bowled, George (2) lofted to point, 86-6 & Hamish (48, 59b 4x4 1x6), who had batted nicely, was also bowled playing forward, 142-7.

When Nicky (5) drove Sinclair to Stewart at mid off in the 36th, 159-8 & Ben Sid (22) followed 2 runs later, bowled by Koen, 161-9, the signs were ominous. However with good sense Dresser & Hobbs crafted a splendid last wicket partnership of 81 in 13 overs as Bennett & Rae completed their 10 overs. 242 was better than it might have been.

In reply Hull- Denholm & Hallam faced the seam of George McConnell (lm-Preston Ave) & Ben Hobbs (rm-golf course). The sun was shining, the wicket seemed to have more pace. Sadly, George found length & line elusive & although Ben was steadier & Hamish (ob) began a spell uphill, the total rose to 41 after 11 overs.

Nicky Phillips (ob) first, the 12th, produced two lofted chances to mid wicket which were not got to. In his second Hallam (19) was lbw, 57-1 & at 68, in his third, Hull - Denholm (39) was well taken by Hamish at deep square leg. 

Turner & Stewart then put together a partnership of 53 for the third wicket as Nicky & Joseph Dresser bowled steadily. A short break for rain lost no overs. At 121 in the 28^th Turner (28) was bowled in Will Phillips's (ob) second over. This brought in Larner who took 11 from George's 4^th over & 2x4 in his 7th. 

Stewart & Larner were untroubled, the fielding became ragged, but in the 38^th Will bowled Stewart (44) ending a partnership of 64. Larner continued to drive powerfully straight or to mid wicket taking 16 from Hamish's 7^th & 9 from Ben's 7th. With Koen (10*) he won the game with a boundary from the last ball of the 45^th over, an impressive innings of 83* (53b, 8x4 3x6 ) which took the game away from the visitors.

4 wickets for the Phillips family but no other success. Steady bowling but too many scoring opportunities offered. Inconsistent fielding frustrating for everyone !

Onward to Sat 25^th April SNCC v Whitburn (a) 100o win/lose, from 1200. A chance to atone, we hope you can be there.