ACADEMY WIN LAST OVER THRILLER AT CHESTER-LE-STREET.

25th Jun 2025

             ACADEMY WIN LAST OVER THRILLER AT CHESTER-LE-STREET.

Sun 22nd June 2025: NEPL Sunday Div 1: SNCC v Chester-le Street (a) 40/40

Chester-le Street 189 ao (38.5o) Liam Cook 24, Harry Simpson 54, Harry Days 44*, Brett Eagle 14: Varun Gudipati 0-33, Ben Hobbs 2-22, Sam Lee 3-57, Archit Upadhye 0-5, Joseph Dresser 1-28, David Cragg 4-34.

SNCC Academy 191-7 (40.2o) Angus Southern 49, Olly Alexander 22, Jan Ozmen 41*, Ben Hobbs 42: George Wilkinson 0-32, Harry Days 0-44, Brett Eagle 2-32, Harry Simpson 1-16, Liam Colledge 2-30, Luke Allen 0-13, Liam Cook 0-13.

SNCC won by 3 wickets - 25 points, CLS 11.

A windy day at Ropery Lane, sunny with grey cloud to start & a threat of rain later. The wicket prepared was deemed to be too close to the school fair taking place 50 yards away so a different prepared strip was used closer to the Pavilion with the short boundary on the Pavilion side.

The hosts won the toss & chose to bat. Cook & Colledge faced the right arm seam of Varun Gudipati (into the breeze) & Ben Hobbs (with it). In over 4 Colledge (1) driving, edged Ben to Angus at slip who took a sharp chance in two hands moving to his right, 6-1.

21-2 in the 8th as Windows (1) drove Ben to point for Joseph to take a straightforward catch. The opening 8 overs had been consistently accurate conceding only one boundary. In over 11 Sam Lee entered the attack into the breeze & in his second, he persuaded Cook (24 ) driving, to play on, 45-3.

In over 17, Sam's fourth, the left handed Robson (7), forcing off the back foot, presented a catch to extra cover which Angus pouched, 64-4. At 20 over drinks CLS were 81-4,  Simpson 34* was batting nicely having just hooked Sam to backward square leg for 6.

At 85 in the 22nd captain Luke Allan (6) mistimed to square leg off Joseph & Ben Sid took a comfortable catch, 5 down. David Cragg had begun an 8 over spell in the 21st from the Ropery Lane end & although Eagle (14) was positive hitting 2x4, in over 27 he pushed forward to David & was bowled, 107-6.

Harry Days joined Simpson & the pair advanced the score to118 two overs later when Simpson (54,59b 5x4 2x6) who had batted with intent, was caught by Joseph at long on off David. Two overs later David bowled Armstrong (2), 8 down.

Days & Wilkinson pushed on, Days in particular showing a willingness to challenge the fielders by taking singles. The total had reached 158 in the 36^th when Wilkinson drove David to mid off where Ben Hobbs took the catch. A spirited last wicket partnership between Days (44* 35b, 4x4, 1x6) & Rodger (12) ended at 189 after 38.5 (o) when Rodger, having hit Sam for 6 to midwicket, was bowled by him. The last two wickets had added 67.

David 4-34 only suffering in his last, Ben Hobbs bowling his first 5 for only 7, Sam a tad expensive but three good wickets. Good catches taken & reliable ground fielding restricting the hosts to a par score. 

SNCC had 41 overs to chase, receiving one not used by CLS. An opening stand of 73 in 19 overs between Angus Southern & Olly Alexander set the tone. Angus driving through cover & Olly defending with skill, exploring either side of point & steering to third man.

Wilkinson & Days had given way to the leg spin of Simpson & seam of Eagle but it was the brisker seam of Colledge in the 19^th that enticed Angus to drive & he edged to w/k Rodger for a well made 49 (63b, 6x4). In the 22nd Olly (22, 58b 2x4) swung Simpson high but only to mid wicket where Cook took the catch, 79-2. In  Colledge's next Ben Sidney -Wilmot (0)  succumbed, bowled off his pad, 80-3.

Ben Hobbs joined Jan Ozmen & although Simpson's leg breaks conceded only 16 in 8 overs, the pair constructed a match defining partnership of 62 with Ben to the fore scoring 42 (31b 2x4, 2x6) including driving a maximum over extra cover off Days & producing the 'shot of the day', a ramp for 6 off Colledge to Ropery Lane, audacious! 

Jan took leg side boundaries off Colledge, Simpson & Allen & the total had reached 142 in the 32nd when Ben H skied offering Eagle a caught & bowled. An enterprising innings from Ben which seized the initiative for the Bulls.

Sam Lee (1) perished, bowled by Eagle at 144 in the same over. W/k Matty  Rathbone  & Jan pushed on taking a boundary & singles each off Days in the 35^th to get to 159. Cook's first 4 balls went for 7 but Rathbone (9, 12b, 1x4)) skied to Allen at mid wicket & then a precious 4 byes from the last ball.170 after 36 overs, five overs to go, 20 needed.

Only singles from overs 37 & 38; the tension mounted. Then 2,1,1,1 off Eagle in the  39^th & in the 40th, bowled by  Wilkinson, 2,1,4 to Joseph to long on but bowled by ball 4 attempting a repeat, Joseph (7, 11b, 1x4); 184-7 with 8 balls left.

Enter Varun at 9, a single each, Jan now on 40*, the total186, 4 needed. In the final over bowled by Cook a single to Jan to mid wicket then, nervelessly, Varun picked up over mid wicket for the winning boundary. Jan 41* (60b, 6x4) a bedrock innings from the skipper, Varun 5*(2b, 1x4).

A very good win against the league leaders several of whom have second X1 experience.

The Bulls Academy now second in NEPL Sunday First Division on 159 points having played 7, leaders CLS on 182 having played 9.

Onward to the next match which will need to be confirmed after a clash with the 1^st X1 's National Club Championship Round 4 game v York on Sunday 6^th July at home. We hope you will be there when next the Academy play.

Duncan.