MIDWEEK BULLS DEFEAT NEWCASTLE CITY BY 6 WICKETS, HAMISH BARRIE SHINES.

23rd Jul 2026

Thurs 23 July 2026: NTCL Midweek Open league: SNCC v Newcastle City (h) 20/20,

Newcastle City 143-8 (20o) Ali Nadeem 59, Mukul Verma 23, Ayaan Dastgir 17, Amit Kapoor 18*: Will Varley 0-32, James Harper 0-25. Tom Seymour 1-24, Hamish Barrie 4-29, David Cragg 1-21, Leo Harper 1-2.

SNCC 144-4 (15.4o) Hamish Barrie 44, Joseph Dresser 34, Stephen Harper 14, James Harper 15*, Will Varley 19*: Ibrahim Mustafa 0-20, Raja Anees Bashir 1-27, Daood Mustafa 1-33, Amit Kapoor 2-28, Ali Nadeem 0-23, Zia Mukhtar 0-7.

SNCC won by 6 wickets- 10 points, Newcastle City 3.

A sunny evening at Roseworth Terrace the visitors won the toss & chose to bat in the last midweek open  league match of the season. Ali Nadeem & Mukul Verma faced the seam of Will Varley (Grove) & James Harper (Park).

A fast start by both as 26 runs leaked from the first two overs. The total had risen to 51 after 5 overs but in Tom Seymour's first Verma (23 ,14b 5x4) was yorked by Tom, 54-1. Hamish Barrie (ob) began a spell in the 9^th & at half way the visitors were happy at 81-1.

In over 11 Hamish was struck for 4, then 6 by Nadeem bit one ball later Nadeem's (59, 39b 8x4 2x6) big drive edged onto his stumps, 91-2. In Hamish's next Dastgir (17, 10b 2x4 1x6) drove hard to Tom at short mid off who took a smart catch above his head in two hands, 111-3.

David Cragg's second delivery was launched towards deep long on by Abedin (4) where James Harper, leaping like a salmon, claimed a remarkable catch in one hand !! 113-4. Three wickets fell in the 17^th over  as Hamish bowled Bashir (6) missing an attacking stroke, persuaded Selvaraj (0) to play on two balls later &, then from the last ball, watched as David Cragg's swift pick up at mid wicket & direct hit to the bowler's stumps ran out D Mustafa (0), 131-7.

Leo Harper claimed a wicket in his only over, the 19^th when I Mustafa was caught by David Cragg at mid wicket. Kapoor (18*) at the close on 143-8 after 20 overs.

In reply Hamish Barrie & Tom Seymour faced the seam of I Mustafa & Anees Bashir. At 18 in the second over, after a straight 6, Tom (6) checked a drive back to bowler Bashir. Joseph Dresser joined Hamish & the pair raced to 50 after 5 overs, 3x4 to Hamish,  4 &6 to Joseph.

The total had reached 81 in the 8^th when Joseph (32, 22b 3x4 1x6) who had pulled to mid wicket & stroked through cover nicely, skied in Kapoor's (rm) first to be caught at mid wicket, 2 down. James Harper joined Hamish but in Kapoor's next Hamish (44, 30b 6x4), who had driven through cover & point pleasantly, swung to deep square leg to be caught by Denley, 92-3 after 10 overs.

Stephen Harper joined son James & the pair raised the total to 111 in the 13^th when Stephen (14, 14b 2x4) was adjudged lbw when well forward, 4 down. Will Varley struck his 5^th ball for 4. 11 runs from the 15^th over as James also stroked a boundary & then from 4 balls in the 16^th over James a single, then Will 6, 6 straight & to mid wicket & 1 to win the game. James 15* (16b 1x4), Will 19* (10b 1x4 2x6), a win by 6 wickets.

As ever many thanks to Tim Johnson for umpiring for the Midweek X1 throughout the season & to Charlotte for scoring in the later games.

The Midweek Bulls finish in 6^th position in the Open League on 56 points. Another enjoyable season for many Dads & lads, battling the continual problems of availability amid exams & school commitments. 

Duncan.