ACADEMY NOT QUITE ON SONG AT GATESHEAD FELL.

18th Aug 2025

                               ACADEMY NOT QUITE ON SONG AT GATESHEAD FELL.

Sun 10^th August 2025: NEPL Sunday First Division: SNCC v Gateshead Fell (h but away)

Gateshead Fell 214-7 (40o) Pavan Kalyan 20, Ravi Muthe 21, Charlie Gray 42, Layton Meek 40, Louie Meek 26: Varun Gudipati 0-53, Will Young 1-30, Sam Lee 2-31, Joseph Dresser 1-28, George McConnell 2-62.

SNCC 182ao (39.2o) Angus Southern 16, Aadi Bethanabatla 13, Will Carr 11, Jan Ozmen 28, George McConnell 30, Olly Alexander 38, Sam Lee 13, Ben Sidney-Wilmot 11: Tarumbidzwa Sahanga 2-27, Louie Meek 1-26, Abhishek Mathew 1-20, Jonty Davies 0-33, Richard Smith 0-23, Matthew Carrick 3-23 , Chris Dodds 2-25.

Gateshead Fell won by 32 runs-20 points, SNCC 13.

The emotion of the heroic rearguard action the day before against Hetton Lyons seemed to have taken its toll, for one day later, nine of those involved produced a rather lacklustre performance resulting in a 32-run defeat at Eastwood Gardens.

The Bulls chose to field. Kalyan & Muthe faced the right arm seam of Varun Gudipati & Will Young. No early success but change bowlers Sam Lee & Joe Dresser stepped up in over 13 when Muthe (21) drove Sam to cover for Angus to take the catch & in the next  Kalyan (20) gloved a pull to w/k Ben Sid off Joseph, 47-2.

A splendid partnership of 86 between Gray & Layton Meek ended at 133 in the 27^th over when Meek (40) drove Sam to Will Carr at backward point. Three overs later Gray (41) launched toward long off Will Young where Angus took the catch, 152-4. Louie Meek & Smith dealt harshly with George's variable length, Varun suffered too, 8 wides between them.

To his credit George bounced back in over 35 as first Smith (18) edged a swing to w/k Ben Sid; 5 balls & 5 runs later Louie Meek (26) was bowled, attacking, 190-6. Davies (5) was very well run out as Will Carr on the cover boundary, collected & threw to Varun who ran out Davies returning for 2, 206-7.

Carrick 13* & Sahanga 3* saw the hosts home at 214-7 after the 40 overs. All having bowled 8 overs, Will, Sam & Joseph economical , Varun & George less so.

In reply, Angus Southern & Aadi Bethanabatla faced the seam of Sahanga & Louie Meek. Boundaries to each in overs one & two but in the 6^th Aadi (13) aiming to hit to leg, was bowled by Louie Meek, 25-1. Three overs later Angus (16) was strangled down the legside caught by w/k Gray off Sahanga, 34-2.

Will Carr struck two nice boundaries before he mistimed a pull & offered a catch to mid on, 54-3 in the 15th. Jan & Olly rotated & hit boundaries in 4 consecutive overs as Davies & Mathew entered the attack. But  in over 23 Jan (28, 43b 3x4) was adjudged lbw to Mathew, aiming to leg, 84-4.

Olly Alexander patiently  & George McConnell positively, put together a partnership of 52 as Davies, Mathew & Smith  sought a breakthrough. George (30, 28b, 3x4, 1x6) was severe on Smith (rm) taking no ball/ 1, 4,6,1 from the 30^th over, but two overs later he succumbed to Carrick's slow left arm, skying to cover, 137-5.

Ben Sid drove 2,2,1,4 off Dodds (sla) but then drove Carrick to long off in the 35th. Olly Alexander (38, 67b 4x4) a defensively sound & patient innings had the misfortune to hit a Dodds full toss to mid on at the same score, 157-7.

Sam (13) stroked 2,1,2,2 & then 2.4 but in that over, the 38th, was bowled by Dodds attacking, 179-8.  In the next Joseph (8) skied to cover off Carrick & Wiil (3) attacking,  edged Dodds to w/k Gray in the last over.182 all out, a sense that it could nave been a closer contest. The Academy are in 4^th place on 205 points with 4 games to play. Leaders CLS have completed their 14 games with 304 points. There is a chance !!

We must continue !  Onward to Sunday 17^th August SNCC Academy v Sacriston (h) 1330, 40/40o, we hope you can be there to cheer the team on.

Duncan.