BULLS BATTLE TO GOOD WIN OVER BURNOPFIELD - ALEXANDER, DRISSELL & CRAGG SHINE.

15th Sep 2025

                              BULLS BATTLE TO GOOD WIN OVER BURNOPFIELD - ALEXANDER, DRISSELL & CRAGG SHINE.

Sat 6^th Sept 2025: NEPL Premier Division: SNCC v Burnopfield (h) 45/45, win/lose.

Burnopfield 183 ao (39.2o) John Oswell 33, Ben McKinney 43, Jonny Bushnell 49*:  Jonny Wightman 0-35, Cody Hoffmeister 2-45, Will Alexander 3-37, Oli McGee 1-22, George Drissell 3-32, Simon Birtwisle 1-12.

SNCC 187-7 (38.4o) David Edwards 20, George Drissell 50, Simon Birtwisle 28, Adam Cragg 51*: Jonny Bushnell 3-46, Matthew Oswell 2-25, Harry Lumsden 1-33, Amaan Ulhaq 1-40, Ross Whitfield Jnr 0-17, Harry Crawshaw 0-16.

SNCC won by 3 wickets- 24 points, Burnopfield 6.

Chasing 183, from the depths of 53-5 in the 11^th over, the Bulls were indebted to two vital partnerships, of 57 between George & Adam & then 59 between Adam & Birty to set up a three wicket win after a blistering start by Burnopfield openers McKinney & John Oswell was halted by two wickets for Will Alexander dismissing both, the first at 69, the second at 92 in only the 14^th over.

The Bulls chose to field, McKinney & J Oswell faced the seam of Jonny Wightman & Cody Hoffmeister. McKinney launched 11 over cover in the second, 8 in the third & Oswell 13 in the 4th. Will suffered too leaking 9 in the 6^th, then Wighters 11 in the 7^th including a straight 6. But then a Will maiden & in his next a wicket maiden as Oswell (33, 26b, 5x4,1x6) drove but was bowled by one that swung away & nipped back !

A chance to mid wicket went astray, Oli entered the attack in over 11 but amid boundaries & a no ball, McKinney (43, 48b, 6x4) swung Will to deep backward square leg where George took the catch , 90-2 in the 14th. The slower bowling of George & Oli slowed the rate, until at 106 in the 18^th Crawshaw (6) on the back foot, edged George to Birty at slip.

From the first ball of the next Oli over Whitfield (15) dragged a foot out of the crease for the second time & Rob stumped him, 106-4. Matthew Oswell retired not out to recover from a blow amidships. 10 overs of spin had conceded only 30 & taken two wickets.

At 125 in the 25^th Lumsden (10), on the back foot, edged Cody to w/k Rob, 5 down. M Oswell (0) returned  but at 134 in the 28^th he top edged a pull off Birty to Cody at mid wicket, 6 down. McCarthy (7) forward, edged Cody to w/k Rob in the 31st. George returned & Kirkland (4) offered a catch to Sol in the legside. Two overs later Purdy (0) was bowled by George with drift &turn !

Watching all this was Bushnell who resisted & played some nice shots hitting 5x4 between overs 32 & 38. The innings closed when Ulhaq (5) swung Will to deep square leg where Cody took the catch, the visitors using only 39.2 overs. A good come back after such a fast start, three wickets each for George & Will.

Rob Peyton & Sol Bell faced the seam of Bushnell & Oswell. A fast footed drive from ball one saw Rob (0) edge to slip. David Edwards began with boundaries in the first & second overs but in over 3 Sol (5), defending on the back foot, edged to w/k J Oswell, 17-2. George took 3x4 off the 7^th but one over later David (20, 28b, 4x4) drove but was beaten by one that nipped back from M Oswell, 42-3.

Hewi (5) joined George but after one boundary edged another drive to slip off M Oswell. 3 runs & two overs later Will (2), hooking Lumsden, was caught at deep backward square leg by Bushnell: the Bulls in a hole at 53-5.

Cometh the hour, the experience of George & Adam, eschewing risk but hitting the bad ball, fashioned a partnership of 57 from 12 overs. I over 14 Adam launched an Ulhaq full toss to deep square for a maximum, Geroge struck 3x4 in over 20 also from Ulhaq. 

At 110 in the 23^rd George (50, 54b 8x4) an excellent, calm innings to steady the ship scoring all around the ground, skied a pull off Bushnell & was caught by M Oswell moving to short mid on, 6 down, Adam 22*. Birty joined Adam & with overs to spare the pair proceeded to find the gaps & run well, 23 singles & 6x4 in a partnership of 59 which only ended in over 36 at 169 when Birty (28, 40b, 2x4) was lbw to Ulhaq aiming to leg.

In the next over an Adam boundary off Whitfield saw him  reach a deserved 50*. Oli won the game with a cut to backward point for 4 off Bushnell from the 4^th ball of the 39^th over.

Partnerships & level heads matter so a pleasing win for the Bulls who cement 2^nd spot in the Premier Division with one league game to go against Tynemouth (a)  on Sat 13^th Sept 1200, 45/45, win/lose from 1200. An important game for Tynemouth currently languishing second bottom, 6 points adrift of Shotley Bridge & 7 of Ashington.

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

Duncan.