BULLS TRIUMPH AT ASHINGTON TO GO FOURTH IN DIVISION 2. Sat 6 June 2026: NEPL Div 2: SNCC v Ashington (a) 110o win/lose/draw.

6th Jun 2026

Ashington 142ao (43.3o) John Woolley 44, Josh Robinson 14, Cameron Nichols 16,  Alfie Thornton 26: Will Young 0-22, Allan Davidson 1-21, Joseph Dresser 2-21, Hamish Barrie 0-23, Sam Lee 1-32,  Will Phillips 5-5.

SNCC 143-3 (29.5o) Nick Tomlinson 21, Sam Ewart 73*, Aadi Bethanabatla 16, Ru Fletcher 19*: Harry Parkinson 0-35, Cameron Nichols 1-35, Luke Hetherington 2-21, Conn Sullivan 0-7, Evan Tait 0-13, Alfie Thornton 0-19.

SNCC won by 7 wickets - 25 points, Ashington 2.

The Bulls were greeted by an overcast & windy day at Langwell Crescent, traditionally a tough place to get a result. The toss won, the home team were asked to bat. Woolley & Robinson faced the seam of Will Young (scoreboard) & Allan Davidson (Pavilion). A maiden in the second over from Allan but Woollley pulled Will for 6 in over 3.

A maiden for Will in the 11^th & in the 12^th Robinson (14) glanced Allan too fine giving a catch to w/k Sam Ewart down the legside, 40-1. Joe Dresser began with a maiden in tandem with Hamish Barrie's off spin. In over 17 Joseph took two in two as Cam Nichols (16) mistimed a pull flat to mid on where Hamish took a smart catch. Next ball Adam Nichol (0) was lbw, 62-3.

Thornton & Woolley pushed on as Hamish & Joseph continued. Sam Lee began a 6 over spell in over 25, Hamish finished after bowling 8 tight overs for only 23 to be replaced by Will Phillips from the Pavilion end. 

In the next 5 overs 4 wickets fell. In Will's second Thornton (26) looped a catch to cover which Ru caught. Two balls later Sam trapped Woolley (44, 89b 5x4) lbw. In the next over Storey (2) edged Will to slip where Allan took a lovely catch, one handed, diving to his right, 107-6.

In Will's 4^th Hetherington (11) was lbw sweeping, 120-7. The last three wickets fell for just 9 runs in 7.3 overs as Joseph re-entered the attack. At 123 Sullivan (0), as non striker, was run out as he failed to beat Hamish's throw from mid wicket to w/k Sam. At 126 Williams (7) drove Will towards mid off where Ben took a good catch head high. In the 44^th Tait (0) prodded back to Will to complete  his first 5 fer for SN for just 5 runs in 7.3 overs.

In reply Nick Tomlinson & Sam Ewart faced the seam of Harry Parkinson & spin of Cam Nichols. 11 from the first over as Sam stroked 4,2,2, 2 byes & 1 leg bye. 36 without loss after 7 overs as both batters took boundaries off Parkinson.

Hetherington began with a maiden & then Nick too 2x4 from Nichols. But in the 12^th Nick (21) back & aiming to cut, missed to be bowled, 49-1. Hetherington & Nichols continued as Aadi settled in his first 2^nd X1 league game. He drove 3x4 nicely straight & Sam punished Nichols 4.4,2.2.1 in the 18th.

One over later, in a momentary loss of concentration, Aadi (16, 33b 3x4) left his ground whilst the ball was still live, enabling w/k Woolley to throw down the striker's stumps, 85-2. After a Sullivan maiden Will Phillps (0) driving edged to w/k Woolley off Hetherington, 85-3.

As Tait, Sullivan , Parkinson & Thornton sought a breakthrough, Sam & Ru saw the Bulls home scoring 48 from 9 overs, Sam (73*, 95b 9x4) driving straight or over the legside, a positive innings & pleasing return to form, concentrating, chanceless, hitting the bad balls well, Ru (19* 23b 3x4) cutting vigorously.

This fourth win lifts the Bulls into 4th place in Division 2 on 119 points, albeit 62 behind leaders CLS.

Onward to 

Fri 12 June NEPL 2^nd X1 T20 SNCC v Gateshead Fell (h) 20/20 from 1800.

Sat 13 June NEPL Div 2 SNCC v Castle Eden (h) 110o, win/lose draw from 1100.

We hope you can be there.

Duncan.