BULLS SPOIL MARCUS NORTH'S RETURN WITH CONVINCING WIN AGAINST THE FELL.

24th Jun 2025

       BULLS SPOIL MARCUS NORTH'S RETURN WITH CONVINCING WIN AGAINST THE FELL.

     Sat 21st June 2025: NEPL Div 2: SNCC v Gateshead Fell (h) 105o w/l/d

Gateshead Fell 203-9 (50o) Ravi Muthe 19, Marcus North 118*, Matthew Carrick 17: Allan Davidson 1-22, Danny Collins 3-39, Ben Hobbs 2-47, Will Young 0-28, James Lunn 3-35, Ru Fletcher1-18.

SNCC 204-4 (40.4o) David Edwards 51, Danny Collins 42, Ru Fletcher 64*, Jan Ozmen 23*: Luke Angus 1-19, Archie North 0-25, Mckenzie Lugsden 2-38, Matthew Carrick 1-55, Marcus North 0-11, Richard Smith 0-12, Ravi Muthe 0-13, Michael Dicks 0-14.

SNCC won by 6 wickets - 30 points, Gateshead Fell 5.

South North welcomed back Marcus North, Australian Test cricketer, former CEO & player at SNCC, & those watching were unsurprised that, as in the past, he treated us to a century, 118* from 130 balls with 13x4 & 5x6. Thankfully the Fell chose to bat & their total proved a target that the Bulls felt gettable & so it proved despite a rain delay shortening the Fell innings to 50 overs & the Bulls to 46.

Dicks & Sahanga faced the seam of Allan Davidson (Grove) & Danny Collins (Park). Dicks (4) struck a boundary in the first  but in the second his leading edge looped toward mid wicket where Will Young made good ground in to take a sliding catch, 4-1. Kalyan (4) drove a boundary first ball but in attempting a repeat second ball edged to w/k Ben Sid, 9-2, both to Danny.

At 18 in the 7^th Sahanga (7) looped over cover where Jan, retreating, took a good catch over his shoulder, one for Allan. Smith & Muthe both hit boundaries but in the 10^th Smith (9) defending was bowled by Danny, 45-4. This became for 5 two overs later as Muthe (19) edged Lunny to Ru at slip in his first over.

Matthew Carrick joined Marcus North & despite the accuracy of Lunny bowling his 15 overs for only 35 with 3 maidens the total rose to 133 as Ben Hobbs returning from injury, Will Young & Danny bowled spells. In the 38^th Carrick (17) drove a catch back to Lunny, 6 down, Marcus 51*.

Ru & Ben took up the attack & in Ben's 5^th two wickets as Lugsden (2) was bowled defending & next ball Gray (0) edged to w/k Ben Sid, 147-8 after 42 overs.

In over 45 Ru bowled Angus (6) which left Marcus & son Archie as the 10^th wicket pair. Perhaps every Dad would like the opportunity to be in that position.

Marcus then struck Ben for 4,6 & in his next 4,4,6,6 then, in the last, Will 6,4,6 to end the innings, at 203-9  after 50 overs,  on118*, Archie North 5*, a partnership of 53* for the 10^th wicket. Marcus driving straight, pulling over mid wicket & the houses, sweeping & reversing with the power of old intact.

Undeterred, with 46 overs ahead, David Edwards & Nick Tomlinson faced the seam of Angus & A North. At 20 in the 5^th Nick (5) pulled Angus to mid wicket where Muthe took a stunning catch, one handed, above his head. David drove straight & over extra cover. In Lugsden's (lm) first, the 12^th, Angus Southern (5) edged a drive & was caught by w/k Gray, 51-2. Danny promptly hit 2x2 in the same over.

In Lugsden's next, having hooked fine for 4, David (51, 45b, 9x4) driving, played on, another positive contribution from the skipper, setting the momentum for the innings, 74-3.

Carrick's (sla) had begun a spell in the 13^th & he continued for 12 overs. In his 5^th Danny (42,35b 6x4) who had driven very well through the offside, advanced & missed to be stumped by Gray, 114-4.

That was to be the last success for the Fell. 130 in the 26th became only 138 in the 31st but acceleration from Ru in overs 35-37, driving & sweeping saw the total to179. Overs 39-41 yielded 20 as Ru drove through extra cover & Jan pulled for 6. The winning single to mid wicket came after 4 balls of the 41st over.

A good win by 6 wickets Ru (64*, 72b, 10x4) & Jan 23* (65b, x4 1x6), an effective, unbroken partnership of 90, leaves the Bulls in second position on 197 points, behind leaders CLS on 240.

Onward to Sat 28^th June SNCC v Tynemouth (a) 105o, w/l/d from 1200.

Sun 29^th June the Banks Bowl 100 competition : SNCC v Eppleton & Tynedale at Eppleton from 1100.

1100 Eppleton v SNCC....then 

Losers of first game v Tynedale

Winners of first game v Tynedale.

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

Duncan.