BULLS STUMBLE TO DEFEAT AT HIGH SCORING ASHINGTON.

31st Jul 2025

BULLS STUMBLE TO DEFEAT AT HIGH SCORING ASHINGTON.

Sat 26th July 2025: NEPL Premier Div: SNCC v Ashington (a) 110o, win/lose/draw.

Ashington 306-5 Dec (50.4o) Jack McCarthy 124, Avishka Perera 61, Sean McCafferty 51, Alexander Charnley 30: Jonny Wightman 0-22, Cody Hoffmeister 0-50, Gavin Paton 0-50, Oli McGee 2-84, James Lunn 1-51,  Will Alexander 0-26, Simon Birtwisle 1-10.

SNCC 236ao( 57.5o) Sam Ewart 52, David Edwards 45, Chris Hewison 41, Simon Birtwisle 13, Will Alexander 14: Alex Nice 1-33, Daniel Gardiner 3-32, James Harmison 2-58, Charlie Harmison 2-53, Ian Sharkey 2-45, Cam Nicholls 0-6.

Ashington won by 70 runs-30 points, SNCC 6.

A sunny day at Langwell Crescent saw Ashington, asked to bat, take full advantage of a flat wicket, fast outfield & Bulls bowling not quite on song, disrupted by an injury to Jonny Wightman to raise a substantial 306 & then see the Bulls unable to defend well enough to bat out for the draw, succumbing with only 7 balls remaining, frustrating!

The Bulls, missing Peyton, Drissell & Cragg gave opportunities to David Edwards & James Lunn (ob). McCarthy & Charnley faced Wightman & Hoffmeister. An untroubled opening partnership of 99 ended in the 19th over as Charnley (30) aiming to leg, was lbw to Oli, McCarthy 60*. Jonny only 4 overs feeling a side strain, two maidens for Gavin, 12x4 +1x6 to that point.

McCarthy continued to find success straight & to mid wicket & reached 100 in the 32nd over pressing on to take 22 from two overs until he was adjudged lbw for 124 (102b, 17x4, 3x6) attempting a reverse sweep off Oli, an excellent innings for his team, 200-2 in the 36th.

Perera swept & drove freely & had reached 61(73b,7x4,1x6) in the 43rd when he was bowled by Lunny round his legs, sweeping, 240-3. McCafferty & Nicholls took the score to 300 in the 49th when Nicholls (20) was bowled by Birty off a pad. McCafferty (51, 46b, 2x4 3x6) followed in over 51 when he drove back to Birty but turned his back & was beaten by the bowler's direct hit. The declaration came at that point.

The sun still shone as Sam & Sol faced Nice (Pavilion) & Gardiner (scoreboard). Two well struck boundaries off Gardiner to Sol in the second over but in the next his legside clip went straight to mid wicket, 12-1. Sam favouring the legside including a 6 to long on off J Harmison's off spin & David the off, took the score to 90 in the 20th when Sam (52, 58b, 8x4 1x6) launched Sharkey to long on where Perera took a good catch over his head, David 29*.

Hewi struck 3x4 off C Harmison in the 25th but in the next, the last over before tea David (45, 66b 6x4) was disappointed to edge Sharkey to w/k McCarthy, 125-3. Hewi & Birty pushed on against the spin of J Harmison & seam of Sharkey until Hewi (41, 51b, 6x4) was also frustrated to mistime a drive off J Harmison to mid off, 155-4.

Birty (13, 3x4) missed a slog sweep off J Harmison and was bowled at 172 in the 39th. Will (14, 22b) had struck 2x4 but he was bowled by a full pitch from C Harmison in the 47th. Oli (11) drove a slower ball from C Harmison to mid off at 191 in the 45th over, 7 down.

Three maidens as Gavin & James defended but also struck a boundary each to cover & to point until at 218 in the 54th Lunny (10, 23b 2x4)) cutting, edged to w/k McCarthy off Gardiner. Cody drove nicely to cover twice in over 57 but in the next Gavin (16, 49b 1x4) cut to backward point & Jonny (0, 4b) edged to the w/k, both off Gardiner, 236 all out with only 7 balls remaining, Cody (16*,13b 3x4). Not quite a defensive master class in pursuit of a draw, shot selection seemingly awry throughout.

Onward to the National Club Championship ¼ final v Ormskirk one day later.

Then Sat 2nd August, NEPL Premier Division SNCC v Sunderland (h) 110o win/lose/draw. Do come along, it will be exciting.

Duncan.