ACADEMY COMPLETE FIRST EVER LEAGUE & CUP DOUBLE WITH 7 WICKET WIN AT NEWCASTLE

10th Aug 2018

NEWCASTLE 95-8 (20o) Alistair Poll 49: Ben Sidney-Wilmot 3-22, Matty Jennings 3-8, Atul Ramesh 1-17, Cam Skinner 1-19.

SNCC ACADEMY 96-3 (13.1o) Ru Fletcher 40*, Parth Mannikar 27*: Finlay Pearce 2-16

SN win NEPL Banks Cup by 7 wickets

On a sunny evening at Jesmond but with dampness still in the air, on winning the toss, SN invited Newcastle to bat at 1730 in this T20 cup final. Alistair Poll & Frankie Cook faced Atul Ramesh & James Ruddick. At 13, Cook was bowled by Ramesh for 3. Poll continued to pinch singles in the ring & to hit down the ground.

The introduction of Ben Sidney-Wilmot's off breaks from the Cemetery End saw a six but in attempting another to get to his 50, Poll was caught by Ru Fletcher at long on for 49, 65-2. Harry Phillips (1) then lifted Cam Skinner to deep mid on where Will Varley caught a well judged catch, 66-3. This became 70-4 as Matthew Brown also lofted Ben to Ru at long on. 

Slater perished next when Ben Sid very smartly caught & bowled him from a firm drive, 72-5. The best of the night followed as Bobby Green took a diving, one handed catch at cover to remove Finlay Pearce off the bowling of Matty Jennings for 10, 76-6. Fielding matters !!

McMorran was bowled by Jennings without scoring & Ru Fletcher took his third catch at mid off as Gregor Pearce drove Matty Jennings, 84-8. Roberts & Dawood limped to 95 by the end of the 20th over. An excellent display of bowling, fielding & catching by the Academy with only minor blemishes.

Ryan Sidney-Wilmot & James Ruddick faced McMorran & F Pearce. In seeking quick runs both openers fell cheaply, Ryan Sid (2) bowled by Pearce, Ruddick (9) played on to McMorran, both playing expansive drives,  & number 3 Will Varley (4) smeared inelegantly to mid off. 23-3 after 3 overs.

Sanity returned as a 4th wicket partnership between Captain Ru Fletcher & w/k Parth Mannikar developed. Bad balls were dispatched, good ones defended, singles were taken, feet used to the spinners, Ru driving well & Parth dabbing expertly, saw the score rise steadily. 

There were no further alarms as the winning run was scored from the first ball of the 14th over leaving Ru 40* & Parth 27*, having compiled an undefeated, match winning partnership of 74. Bravo!

The splendid Banks Cup was presented to winning Captain Ru Fletcher by David Martin of the Banks Group. Ru also was named Man Of the Match for his 3 catches & 40*. He would be the first to recognise the contribution of the team & others in the squad, all of whom have contributed hugely to the Academy's  success in 2018. The first league & Cup double since the inception of the NEPL for SNCC & probably much longer. Magnificent !

T20 awaits, we must continue!

Duncan D. Stephen.