ACADEMY DEFEAT PHILADELPHIA: SPINNERS & EWART SHINE.
20th May 2025
ACADEMY DEFEAT PHILADELPHIA: SPINNERS & EWART SHINE.
20th May 2025
ACADEMY DEFEAT PHILADELPHIA: SPINNERS & EWART SHINE.
Sun 18th My 2025, NEPL Sunday First Division.
SNCC v Philadelphia (h) 40/40.
Philadelphia 142ao (32.3o) L Marriott 25, JD Caries 42*, J Walshaw 19: George McConnell 1-36, Zach Henderson 1-12, Olivia Miller 3-51, Archit Upadhye 1-23, David Cragg 4-14.
SNCC Academy 143-3 (21.5o) Sam Ewart 74, Jan Ozmen 38*, Olivia Miller 11*:S Hughes 1-28, C Sim 0-30, D Caris 0-21, F McQueen 0-24, JD Caries 2-13, M Otway 0-14, J Walshaw 0-3, O Gaff 0-7.
SNCC Academy won by 7 wickets- 25 points, Philadelphia 9.
A late call up for David Cragg & 4 wickets meant an early birthday celebration, three for the leg breaks of Liv Miller & one for Archit, in a mean spell conceding only 23 from his 8 overs, meant 8 wickets for the spinners plus one each for George & Zach as the Academy conspired to bowl Philadelphia out for 142. Then the explosive driving & pulling of Sam Ewart 74 (55b, 11x4, 2x6) supported by Jan 38* & Liv 11* meant a win in only the 22nd over.
On a bright but cool day, the visitors chose to bat. A debut for SN w/k Matthew Rathbone as Sugden (lh) & Walshaw faced the seam of George McConnell (lm) & Zach Henderson (rm). A fast start aided by wides, overthrows, a misfield, one diving chance at slip not quite clung onto & 4x4 steered to 3rd man or fine leg over a fast outfield & without boundary cover, meant 31-0 after 5 overs of seam.
In the 6th Zach found the edge of Sugden's bat & w/k Matthew Rathbone took a neat catch, 31-1. In the 8th Liv's first, Marriott punished overpitched deliveries to midwicket & square leg amassing 18.
In the 9th Walshaw (18) half forward, was lbw to George, 54-2. In her third over Liv bounced back persuading Gaff (6) to lob gently to mid wicket where Will Carr took a good catch tumbling forward. In her next, Marriott (25,21b, 2x4 1x6) hit high again into the legside but Will moved in & took a good catch bending forward, 70-4. In her 5th Hughes (3) was bamboozled & bowled, 83-5. A great comeback !! Another straightforward chance to mid off not taken in Liv's7th over was surprising.
At 20 over drinks the total was 95-5, Archit had bowled 4 overs for just 10 & with the short legside boundary this was a tribute to his accuracy, Liv 3-39 from 7.
Caries had shown he could drive straight & so it was frustrating to concede two boundaries, one to long off & one long on in Liv's last over, the 22nd. Enter David Cragg from the Park End in over 24. A wicket 5th ball as Sim (3) was bowled, 113-6. Archit gained his reward in the next, when he bowled Otway (4), 118-7.
Two overs later David bowled McQueen (2) & in his next, Caris drove in the air towards deep mid on where Will Carr moved in & took another good catch, diving forward, 133-9. George & Zach returned but it was David, this time from the Grove end, who pinned Bailey (3), on the crease, lbw, 142 all out, David 4-14 in 4.3 overs. JD Caries 42* (48b, 5x4) had batted well especially driving straight.
In reply Sam Ewart & Aadi Bethanabatla faced the right arm seam of Hughes & Sim. Sam, in prime form, hit 9x4 in the first 9 overs losing partner Aadi (5) in the third cutting & well caught in the gully.
Picking up the length early & off the front foot, Sam drove straight or through extra cover & pulled with power. 70-1 after 10 overs, Sam 55* (10x4), Jan (7*). McQueen's medium was despatched for 24 in two overs, (2x4, 2x6) which included a run out scare! JD Caries bowled a good length & was rewarded in over 14 as Sam (74, 55b, 11x4 2x6) hit once again to mid wicket but was caught by McQueen on the boundary.
In his next Will Carr (6), after one lovely straight drive, was unlucky to drag on, 111-3. Liv joined Jan & the pair proceeded to tick off the runs. The drinks break was foregone as several bowlers were used. Liv hit 4 +2 in over 19 & Jan hit a no ball for 4 in over 22. The winning run came from the 5th ball of the that over, Jan 38* (46b 4x4), Liv 11* (1x4).
A comprehensive win; as ever, some good bits & some things to improve , tougher challenges to come. We must aim to improve, especially in the field.
Onward to Sun 25th May SNCC Academy v Sacriston (a) 1330,40/40. We hope you can be there to cheer the team on.
Duncan.