ACADEMY DEFEAT NEWCASTLE- DAVID CRAGG 5-FER ROLLS BACK THE YEARS!

15th Sep 2025

ACADEMY DEFEAT NEWCASTLE- DAVID CRAGG 5-FER ROLLS BACK THE YEARS!

   Sun 14thSept 2025: NEPL Sunday First Division: SNCC v Newcastle (h) 40/40.

Newcastle 128 ao (36.2o) Adam Moore 41, Nagendra Aleri 38, Koushik SM 13: Archit Upadhye 1-32, George McConnell 1-17, Sam Lee 1-28, Tom Oliver 0-13, David Cragg 5-19, Joseph Dresser 2-11.

SNCC Academy 131-2 (26.2o) Angus Southern 21, Olly Alexander 39*, Jan Ozmen 32, Will Carr 31*: Adam Moore 1-25, Biswas Naidu 0-27, Rachan  Saraideen 0-18, Rakshit Thukral 1-33, Koushik SM 0-15, Alok Shivastava 0-3, Prabhu  Shanmugam 0-3

SNCC won by 8 wickets- 25 points, Newcastle 3.

Secure in second place the Bulls won the toss & chose to field on a grey overcast day with rain threatening. Rogers & Aleri faced the leg spin of Archit Upadhye & the seam of George MccConnell. Success from ball 3 as Rogers (1) swung to leg but was bowled by Archit. In over 4 Saraideen (7) on the crease, was bowled by George, 13-2.

34-2 after 10 overs which included several pieces of good ground fielding by Archit, Tom, Jacob & Angus but a spirited stand between Moore & Aleri developed as Sam Lee & Tom Oliver took up the attack. Sam could not quite find the right line offering scoring opportunities on the legside, & at drinks after 20 overs the total was 85-2.

In over 22 Moore (41, 63b,5x4) drove Sam towards mid off where  Archit moved in to take an excellent diving catch in two hands. David Cragg & Joseph Dresser then bowled the next 8 overs for 12 runs. David had success in his first as Shivastava (4) was lbw. A Will Carr dive saved 4 byes & in the next Aleri (38, 61b, 2x4) who had found the spaces  & run well, lofted David to mid on where 6'4" Angus took the catch at full stretch above his head. Cheers from the spectators, some of whom thought a long night might have affected him! 103-5.

This became for 6 when Joseph bowled Naidu (1) & an over later 107-7 when Shanmugan (4) was bowled by David, 112-7 after 30 overs. Thukral & Koushik SM resisted, George returned but it was Joseph who persusded Thukral (7) to edge to w/k Will at 119. Koushik struck 2x4 to mid wicket but succumbed on the back foot to be bowled by David, 127-9.

A David 5 fer arrived when Balagi (1) was bowled by the 2 ball of the 37^th over demonstrating once again that bowling at the stumps pays off !

In reply Angus Southern & Olly Alexander faced the seam of Moore & Naidu. Olly steered Angus drove or clipped into the legside but at 28 in the 7^th Angus (21, 24b 3x4) forward, edged to w/k Rogers off Moore.

The sky darkened as Jan joined Olly & was positive clipping to leg, driving straight & pulling 14 off Naidu's 5^th over, the 10th. Saraideen & Thukral took up the attack but Jan stroked a boundary in each of the next three overs to backward square leg & third man twice. Sadly, in aiming to leg, he was lbw to Thukral's slow left arm at 68 in the 15th. Jan 32 ( 31b 6x4), a busy innings right for the situation.

Will Carr joined Olly, who then timed the ball nicely taking 7 off Thukral in the 17th & the score to 86. To their credit both umpires & visitors had continued to play amid a drizzle but this became heavier & the players left the field at 1705, Olly (28*), Will (5*)

A break of 30 minutes but a desire to conclude the last game of the season meant a resumption in far from ideal conditions. Will pushed on striking boundaries in 4 consecutive overs, to leg & twice straight aerially, 123 after 25 became a winning total of 131 as Olly guided three off Shanmugam.

An 8 wicket win for SNCC, a most creditable second place in NEPL Sunday First Division on 300 points, just 4 behind winners CLS. Offering opportunities to develop to16 juniors & being rewarded by some very encouraging performances which augur well for the future.

We will celebrate the 2025 season at SNCC Presentation Evening on Sat 20th Sept in the Indoor Centre from 1800 featuring MC's Stephen Harper, Danny Collins & DCCC player & SNCC's Durham player George Drissell who has been a delightful & successful team mate.

I hope you have found  these reports of interest & would be happy to receive your feedback, please winter well !

Very best wishes,

Duncan.