BULLS STUMBLE TO DEFEAT AT HIGH SCORING ASHINGTON.
31st July 2025
30th Jul 2025
BULLS 2'S DEFEAT STRONG ASHINGTON: HOBBS & JONES 4 WICKETS EACH.
Sat 26th July 2025: NEPL Div 2: SNCC v Ashington (h) 105o win/lose/draw.
SNCC 237ao (54.4o) Nick Tomlinson 53, Ru Fletcher 31, Angus Southern 35, Andy Doig 42, Ben Hobbs 34: Matthew Collins 1-58, Harry Parkinson 2-50, David Rutherford 2-28, Matthew Potts, 0-18, Lennon Harmison 2-24, Conn Sullivan 1-20, Matthew Storey 1-27.
Ashington 200ao (45.3o) John Woolley 42, Josh Robinson 22, Cam Skinner 15, Greg Williams 28, David Rutherford 40, Conn Sullivan 21: Allan Davidson 0-23, Danny Collins 0-18, Tom Jones 4-70, Ben Hobbs 4-27, Will Young 0-23, Ru Fletcher 1-34.
SNCC won by 37 runs- 24 points, Ashington 7- ( SN -2, Ashington -1, slow over rate.)
A sunny day at Roseworth Terrace, the Bulls, minus David Edwards on 1st X1 duty captained by Angus Southern, lost the toss were invited to bat. A good opening partnership between Nick Tomlinson & Ru Fletcher against the seam of Collins, Parkinson & Rutherford saw the total rise to 63 in the 17th when Ru 31( 45b, 6x4) edged a cut to w/k Woolley off Collins.
Jan (4) stroked a boundary first ball but perished from ball 3 runout by the w/k as setting off for a single to square leg became improbable, 67-2. Nick & Angus rebuilt against Potts & the spin of L Harmison. At 117 in the 30th Nick (53, 83b, 6x4) a splendid innings, advanced to Harmison & was stumped by Woolley.
Angus (35, 53b, 5x4) drove back to bowler Harmison at 132 in the 34th. Tom Jones (10) seemed unlucky to be adjudged lbw to Sullivan in the 38th. Equally Ben Sid (2) seemed not to edge to the w/k off Parkinson but the decision went with the bowler, 147-6 in the 39th.
A handy partnership of 38 between Andy & Danny against Sullivan & Parkinson ended at 185 in the 45th when Danny was yorked by Parkinson. Andy struck 2+6 off Sullivan in the 42nd but in the 50th a strong straight drive seemed destined for 6 but was very well caught on the boundary by Sullivan off Storey. Andy 42, 62b,4x4 1x6), a crucial innings.
In the over before Ben had stroked 2x4 off Storey. Another boundary in over 51 & another in over 52, ramp for 1 included, then 4,4, 2 off Storey in the 54th before he skied to cover off Rutherford for an invaluable 34 (32b, 6x4), 237-9. Will 6* , Allan (0) skied to cover next ball: the Bulls all out from the 4th ball of the last, 55th, over.
In reply a fast start as Woolley & Robinson took advantage of the generosity of Allan & Danny raising the total to 45 after 9 overs, 9x4 + 4 leg byes. Tom & Ben entered the attack, Robinson edged Ben to third man Woolley struck Tom straight for 6 then 4 but in the 15th Ben produced the first of 4 very good, full pitched deliveries that bowled Woolley (42, 43b 8x4 1x6), 67-1.
4 wickets then fell in 4 overs as first Potts (10) mistimed Tom to Angus at mid wicket, 2 balls later Robinson (22) was stumped by Ben Sid, 79-3. In the next Ben produced another yorker & bowled Storey (1) & in his next had Harmison (0) lbw playing another full ball, to leg, 83-5.
Drinks were taken at 102-5, Cam Skinner14* David Rutherford 5*. In the second over after drinks Cam (15) swung Tom towards deep forward square leg where Danny made good ground, took the catch, juggled, dropped & recaught one handed ! 105-6.
Ashington are resilient, Rutherford & Williams are experienced, Ru bowled an effective spell of 7 overs for only 19 which contained. Nonetheless, the pair took the score to 165 in the 41st when Ru, now from the Grove end, persuaded Williams (28, 46b, 4x4) to loft to mid on where Nick took the catch, 165-7.
Four balls later, Rutherford (40,57b 5x4), backing up for a single to mid wicket, was sent back but failed to beat Tom's throw to bowler Ru & was run out, 167-8. Sullivan & Parkinson then played with freedom striking 5x4 in 2 overs before Ben returned & produced another excellent yorker to bowl Parkinson (12), 192-9.
In the 46th, Sullivan struck 2x4 off Tom but then skied to Nick who took the catch at point, 200 all out & a win by 37 runs for the Bulls, 4 wickets each for Ben & Tom.
In the aftermath both sides were deducted points for slow over rates. A good win sees the Bulls retain second place in Division 2 on 270 points adrift of leaders CLS on 351.
Onward to Sat 2nd August SNCC v Sunderland (a) 1200, 105o win/lose/draw. We hope you can be there to cheer the team on.
Duncan.