BULLS GO CLOSE BUT KALYAN & CARRICK TAKE THE HONOURS FOR THE FELL.

15th Sep 2025

   BULLS GO CLOSE BUT KALYAN & CARRICK TAKE THE HONOURS FOR THE FELL.

    Sat 6^th Sept 2025: NEPL Division 2: SNCC v Gateshead Fell (a) 45/45 win/lose.

Gateshead Fell 231ao (39.3o) Pavan Kalyan 80, Andrew Etherington 35, Matthew Carrick 37* Archie North 21: Gavin Paton 0-70, Danny Collins 2-50, Ben Hobbs 2-39, Will Young 3-23, Archit Upadhye 2-29, Andrew Doig 0-18.

SNCC 221-7 (45o) Nick Tomlinson 44, Sam Ewart 29, Will Carr 36, Andrew Doig 30, Gavin Paton 31*: Matthew Carrick 1-31, Archie Maxwell 1-45, Luke Angus 0-50, Thomas Lugsden 1-26, Archie North 1-23, Ravi Muthe 1-34.

Gateshead Fell won by 10 runs - 24 points, SNCC 8.

A wicket in the second over as Gav took a neat first slip catch off Danny to dismiss Underwood (0) but Kalyan's unorthodox, baseball style batting saw the total race to 93 in the 10^th when Etherington (35) was caught by Archit off Will at mid wicket, 2 down.

Gav & Danny both suffered as length balls were despatched to all parts some intended, many not, but all effective in the power play. Kalyan struck 10x4, 1x6 racing to 52* from only 26 balls.

Change bowlers Ben & Will conceded fewer & in the 13^th Meek (2) was caught at mid on off Ben. 4 balls later Maxwell was run out as Danny's throw from square leg beat his retreat, 107-4. A chance was spurned as a Kalyan skier fell between fielders in Will's second over. It was that sort of day!

No further success until three wickets went down in 4 overs. Bryan (17) was lbw to Will on the crease, One over later Muthe (0) cut Archit to Danny at point & in his next Archit bowled Kalyan (80, 57b, 13x4, 1x6) with a flighted, full delivery, 144-7 in the 21^st over. Might slower bowling have been used earlier to tempt Kalyan's fast footed style ?

Lugsden & Carrick put together 19 for the 8^th wicket but at 163 Lugsden (13) was bowled by Danny. Carrick (37*, 4x4, 49b), finding the gaps on the legside regularly, then masterminded two crucial partnerships, firstly with North (21) of 33 & then with Angus (2) of 35 to boost the total to a very competitive 231, including 18 from Andy's penultimate over. 

Will 3 wickets, Archit, Danny & Ben 2 each, work to do !

The Bulls reply was watchful, only 7 runs in 5 overs as Nick & Sam were faced by the accurate sla of Carrick (4 overs for12) & seam of Maxwell (6 overs for 21). Angus & Lugsden took up the attack. The total had risen to 75 in the 18^th when Sam (29) skied Lugsden to mid wicket.

Will Carr joined Nick & the rate was constrained by an accurate 9 over spell for only 26 by Lugsden. 84-1 at drinks after 21 overs. The Fell total had been 146 at the same stage. North bowled 3 overs for 10 & in his 4^th Nick (44,79b, 6x4) swung him to deep backward square leg, perfectly positioned to take the catch without moving, 105-2 in the 27th.

Will found it hard to rotate against accurate bowling & good ground fielding in the ring & it took Andy's quick fire 30 (27 b, 5x4, 1x6) to provide some momentum. But having taken 23 from Muthe's first two overs, in the next, the 36^th he launched Muthe to long off & was caught.

81 from 9 overs was the task & it became a bridge too far as Carrick returned to bowl 5 overs for only 16. At 175 in the 39^th Will (36, 66b, 3x4) drove Carrick to extra cover. In the next over Danny (14) was run out pushing for two & two balls later Angus (1) was lbw to Maxwell aiming to leg, 179-6: 5 overs to go, 53 runs needed.

Gavin's (31*, 18b, 3x6, 1x4) almost got the Bulls there but Ben Sid (5) was run out chasing an impossible single, 193-7 in the 43rd & although Ben H (5*) scoped for 4, Luke Angus held his nerve conceding only 13 from 11 balls.

So the Bulls ended 10 runs short & were left to rue chances not taken, bowling lengths & field placings left redundant by Kalyan's unorthodox striking & a insufficient variety of shot selection to find the gaps in the ten overs after drinks.

The Bulls slip to 4^th in Division 2 with one game to go. Sat 13^th Sept SNCC v Tynemouth (h) 1200 45/45 win/lose. We hope you can be there to celebrate a winning end to the season.

Duncan.