BULLS BATTLE TO COMPETITIVE TOTAL BUT BURNMOOR PUNISH WAYWARD BOWLING TO WIN BY 6 WICKETS

8th May 2025

BULLS BATTLE TO COMPETITIVE TOTAL BUT BURNMOOR PUNISH WAYWARD BOWLING TO WIN BY 6 WICKETS

Sat 4^th May 2025: NEPL Premier Division: SNCC v Burnmoor (a) 45/45, win/lose.

SNCC 190-9 (45o) Simon Birtwisle 17, Rob Peyton 37, Chris Hewison 32, Adam Cragg 25, Oli McGee 38, Nathan Gough 13, Gavin Paton 18: Waqas  Maqsood 3-32, Josh Coughlin 0-16, Sean Tindale 2-38, Ryan Pringle 0-28, Graeme Bridge 1-12, Craig Stephenson 1-38, Mitchell Killeen 0-20.

Burnmoor 192-4 (30.5o) Ryan Pringle 29, Marcus Brown 52, Stuart Poynter 65*, Sean Tindale 24*: Jonny Wightman 2-30, Cody Hoffmeister 1-46, Oli McGee 1-45, Tom Jones 0-22, Gavin Paton 0-10, Nathan Gough 0-21, Simon Birtwisle 0-14.

Burnmoor won by 6 wickets - 24 points, SNCC 4.

Reaching their highest total against Burnmoor away in recent years gave hope that the Bulls might be competitive but chasing, regular '4 balls' saw the hosts keep up the required rate & then accelerate to win by 6 wickets in only 30.5 overs.

Choosing to bat the Bulls lost Sol (0) to the last ball of the first over, bowled by Maqsood. After 10 overs the score was 27-1 as Simon & Rob resisted the brisk seam of Maqsood (lm), Coughlin (rm) & Tindale (rm). In over 13 Simon (17,36b) was lbw to a full delivery from Tindale, 33-2. Pringle (ob) & Tindale continued but it was Bridge (sla), in the 19^th his first over, who gained an lbw decision against Rob (37,52b, 5x4), playing to leg, ending a partnership of 35. 68-3 & only 5 boundaries to this point as the bowlers line & length kept the pressure on.

Stephenson (ob) & Killeen (rm) bowled tightly & the total reached105 after 29 overs. In the 30^th Hewi (32,47b,1x4 1x6) was adjudged lbw to Stephenson on the front foot, 106-4. A partnership of 18 between Adam & Nathan ended at 124 when Nathan (13, 15b 2x4) seemingly on the crease, was lbw to Maqsood.

Oli was positive & hit boundaries in the next 4 overs but at 159 in the 40^th Adam (25, 61b,1x4) was bowled by Maqsood, off bail removed. Gavin Paton was equally positive & the total had reached 180 when Oli (38,30b, 5x4), an enterprising innings, was caught at mid wicket by Maqsood off Tindale, 7 down.

In the last over, run outs for Tom Jones (1) & Gavin (18,19b 2x4) left the Bulls at 190-9.

In reply, Ross Greenwell & Marcus Brown faced the seam of Jonny Wightman & Cody Hoffmeister. 6-1 at the end of over 1 as Greenwell (6) was lbw to Jonny. Brown & Mitch Killeen took boundaries in overs 3,4 & 5 before Killeen (5) was bowled by Jonny, 25-2.

36-2 after 10 as Oli entered the attack, but in over 11 Ryan Pringle struck Cody for 4,6,4 through cover & high on the legside. Another Pringle 6 off Oli but in over 13 he mistimed a pull to be caught at mid wicket by Hewi, Pringle (29, 26b, 3x4 2x6), 69-3 in the 13th. The Bulls had been 35-2 at the same stage.

Cody, Oli & Tom Jones (lb) conceded further boundaries in overs 15,16 & 17 to Brown & Stuart Poynter, 100-3 after 17 overs. A lull but the 4 balls continued in overs 20-24 with  Poynter sweeping, reversing & pulling until at 144 in the 25^th Oli found turn & bounce, a slower delivery it seemed, to defeat Brown (52, 70b, 7x4) who was stumped by w/k Rob Peyton, 4 down, ending an important partnership of 75.

No respite however as Sean Tindale joined Poynter & the pair continued to take advantage as Oli, Gavin & Simon strove for a further breakthrough to no avail. 184-4 after 30 overs & the win completed with two cover driven boundaries to Tindale off Cody in the 31st. Poynter 65*(48b, 9x4 1x6) & Tindale 24* (28b, 3x4 1x6), a comprehensive 6 wicket win.

At the close after 30.5 overs, Burnmoor had struck 22x4 & 4x6. From the same number of overs the Bulls managed just 7x4 & 1x6. A tribute to the accuracy of the Burnmoor attack.

We await a Bulls complete performance having bowled well twice & batted well once. Onward to Sat 10^th May, SNCC v Ashington (h) from 1200 45/45, win/lose & on

Sunday 11th May, SNCC v Castleford  (h) from 1300, 40/40, in round 2 of the National Club Championship.

We hope you can be there to cheer the Bulls on.

Duncan.