ACADEMY SUFFER AGONISING LAST BALL DEFEAT AT PHILADELPHIA.
22nd July 2025
ACADEMY SUFFER AGONISING LAST BALL DEFEAT AT PHILADELPHIA.
22nd Jul 2025
ACADEMY SUFFER AGONISING LAST BALL DEFEAT AT PHILADELPHIA.
Sun 20 July 2025: NEPL Sunday First Division.
SNCC v Philadelphia (a) reduced to 30/30o
SNCC 173-6 (30o) Angus Southern 56, Aadi Bethanabatla 47, Jan Ozmen 33, Liv Miller 28: Sam Davidson 0-22, George Davidson 0-24, Logan Barton 1-46, Sam Hughes 1-20, Charlie Sim 0-33, Dean Caris 1-27.
Philadelphia 175-6 (30o) Sam Davidson 42, Liam Marriott 33, Dean Caris 14, Logan Barton 36*, George Davidson 19*: Will Young 1-44, Zach Henderson 0-14, Sam Lee 1-30, Archit Upadhye 1-21, David Cragg 1-25, Liv Miller 1-25.
Philadelphia won by 4 wickets - 21 points, SNCC 12.
Last ball defeats are tough to take but with one over to go at 155-5, 19 were needed by the home team. From the Pavilion end, Will Young's first ball dismissal of Sim, 6 down, meant 19 to win from 5. New batter George Davidson swung, 6 to backward square leg, two singles, then a length ball flat batted for 6 between deep extra cover & long off & finally, from the last ball, 6 over long on saw the hosts triumph by 4 wickets; cue pitch invasion !
A dramatic end & tough for Will who had bowled the only maiden of the innings in over 6: he was consoled by his team mates & by Sam Davidson who had opened the Philadelphia innings.
So close for the Bulls whose slower bowlers, Archit, David & Liv had pulled it back after a fast 31 from the opening 5 overs & perhaps left to rue 14 byes,1 wide & 1no ball in 18 extras & one missed catch; fine margins that matter in tight games but pressure can do these things which we learn from.
After the rain, a sunny day at Philadelphia but a delayed start to allow a wet outfield to become drier enabled a 30 over/side game. Then, invited to bat, Angus Southern & Aadi Bethanabatla put together the highest 2025 Academy partnership to date for any wicket, of 95 for the first wicket in 15 overs.
Aadi cutting & driving straight, Angus scoring straight, through the offside & exploring mid wicket. In the 16th Aadi (47, 45b 6x4) aiming to cut, edged to w/k Marriott. Logan Barton's leg breaks had begun in over 10 & in his 5th the 18th Angus (56, 57b, 9x4) lofted towards long off & was caught by Hughes, 107-2.
At 122 in the 21st George (4) aiming to attack a full ball, played on to D Caris. Jan & Liv then put together an important partnership of 50 against the seam of Sim & spin of D Caris. Acceleration from 130 after the 23rd as both struck boundaries rising to 172 in the last over when 3 run outs saw Liv (28, 25b, 4x4) an innings of intent, attempting to take a short single & Jan (33,44b, 4x4) unable to get back for two, also Sam Lee (0) in striving to add to the score. 173-6 seemed a competitive total.
Sam Davidson & JD Caris faced the seam of Will Young & Zach Henderson. Another fast start as Davidson struck 4x4 & Caris 1x4 until at 25 in the 5th first change Sam Lee persuaded Caris (4) to play on. Will bowled a maiden in over 6 with 1 bye. But 10 from Sam's next & then 9 off Will, saw Archit (lb) from over 9 & David (sla) from over 10 bowl in tandem for 12 overs.
The scoring was mostly in singles but 7 byes in two Archit overs were unfortunate. In over 15 Davidson (42,38b, 7x4) who had batted well, on the back foot, edged Archit to w/k Matthew Rathbone, 82-2. In over 18 David bowled Marriott (33, 46b 4x4) through the gate, 98-3. Two overs later Archit's throw to bowler David saw Marshall (1), run out, 103-4.
The more experienced Barton was joined by Dean Caris & the pair added 21 in 5 overs facing LIv's leg breaks & Sam Lee's medium pace until Caris (14,1x6) pulled Liv towards mid wicket where Jan took the catch, 125-5.
Will, Liv & Sam bowled the last 5 overs to Sim & Barton. 6 singles, 10 from the 27th, 5 from the 28th then 7 from the 29th included 2 byes & a no ball. The drama of the last over then took place. Barton ended 36*( 45b 2x4) & G Davidson 19*, (4b, 3x6).
Who would be a 'death' bowler ?! As Ben Stokes said to Jofra Archer before his World Cup final super over "This over will not define you". Thus it will be with Will; we will support his intent to have the skill & confidence to bowl yorkers & variations in such future circumstances.
Onward, the Academy in 3rd place in Sunday Division 1 on 171 points having played 8 with CLS top on 231 points having played 11. So all to play for to close the gap hoping the weather is kind & availability good.
Sun 3rd Aug SNCC v Benwell Hill (a) 1330, 40/40, do come along, it will be exciting!!
We must continue, COYB !
Duncan.