ACADEMY WIN BUT TITLE DREAM FADES AS WHTBURN FINISH ONLY 8 DOWN.

15th Sep 2025

     ACADEMY WIN BUT TITLE DREAM FADES AS WHTBURN FINISH ONLY 8 DOWN.

        Sun 7^th Sept 2025: NEPL Sunday First Division: SNCC v Whitburn (h) 40/40.

Whitburn 131-8 (40o) Zac Smith 65, Will Shields 24: Will Young 1-36, George McConnell 0-23, Sam Lee 3-19, Tom Oliver 0-16, David Cragg 1-11, Joseph Dresser 3-18.

SNCC Academy 132-3 (26.1o) Angus Southern 25, Will Carr 43* Jan Ozmen 35*: George Smith 0-33, Huw Morgan 1-14, Ethan McGill 1-32, James Robinson 1-37, Elliot Priestley 0-27.

SNCC Academy won by 7 wickets- 21 points, Whitburn 8.

Needing to bowl Whitburn out & then win to keep alive their title hopes the Bulls chose to field. The sky was grey & overcast & rain threatened. Success in over one as Will Young bowled McGill (0) from the 4th ball of the first over. 

Thereafter although Zac Smith & Shields batted nicely & ran well they were encouraged by fielders not moving in quickly enough with the bowler thus not putting pressure on the batters intent to run. Two difficult chances were also unable to be taken.

At 55 in the 12th Shields (24) edged Sam Lee to w/k Will Carr. Four overs later Morgan (5) also edged Sam to w/k Will, 69-3, his good line & length in evidence. At 20 over drinks the total was 89-3, Z Smith on 44*. Tom Oliver bowled a tidy 4 over spell for 16.

David Cragg began a spell of 6 overs in tandem with Joseph Dresser. In over 21 Downey (7) cutting, edged Joseph for Will to take his third w/k catch, 92-4. Three overs later David bowled  Robinson (0) pushing forward, 97-5. The rate slowed, only 19 runs from the next 6 overs. A missed stumping & some good running taking advantage of the unmanned spaces behind point saw the score at 119 after 30 overs.

In the 31^st gully in position & bowling straighter, Smith (65,88b,7x4) skied Joseph to mid wicket where Will waited an age but caught well, 117-6. A clear intent not to be dismissed saw 4 maidens then the rain arrived at 1623 necessitating a restart at 1650 with 39 over per side. 

Hugill (1) on the back foot, edged & was caught by Angus at first slip off Joseph in over 35, 119-7. In the 39th Middleton (9) was bowled by Sam but no success in Will's last, as with close fielders around the bat, 10 runs were conceded.

In reply Aadi Bethanabatla & a limping Olly Alexander faced the seam of G. Smith & Morgan. At 20 in the 6^th Aadi (9) was bowled by Morgan, 15-1. The sky darkened, as Angus struck 4x4 in his first 9 balls. Then more control from McGill & Robinson but at 35 in the 11^th Olly (7) was bowled by McGill & one over later Angus (25,27b, 5x4) skied to mid on off Robinson's left arm seam, 43-3.

Drinks were taken at 88-3 after 19 overs as Will Carr & Jan Ozmen steadied the ship & punished the bad balls, Will 20* Jan 19* mainly exploring either side of square on the leg side.

Conditions were not ideal but the umpires kept the players on the field. Priestley's off spin conceded 12 in over 21 both batters cutting & sweeping. In the next Will clipped & pulled two more legside boundaries off Robinson,118-3.

Opening bowlers Smith & Morgan returned but the total rose gently to the target of 131 from the first ball of the 27^th over, Will 43* (46b 6x4), Jan 35* (44b 3x4) an undefeated  partnership of  89. 21 points & an assured second place in Sunday First Division with one game to go.

The final Academy match on Sunday 14^th Sept SNCC v Newcastle (h) 1330 40/40 we hope you can be there to cheer the team on.

Duncan.