BULLS FINISH NEPL PREMIER DIVISION RUNNERS UP AFTER DEFEAT OF FELLING
24th September 2024
20th Jun 2024
BULLS WIN WELL AT TYNEDALE BUT GAME ABANDONED IN THE NATIONAL.
NEPL Premier Division: Sat 15th June 2024: SNCC v Tynedale (a) 105o
Tynedale 144ao (33.5o) Euan Stephenson 15, Jamie Crichton 12, Aaron Rourke 40, Nathan Byerley 30: Tom Rogers 3-21, Jonny Wightman 1-44, Sean Tindale 4-44. Oli McGee 1-21.
SNCC 148-4 (16o) Sol Bell 49*, Chris Hewison 15, Simon Birtwisle 75: Matthew Scott 3-50, Archie Fletcher 0-42, Nathan Byerley 0-18, Aaron Rourke 0-27, Nkosana Mpofu 1-12.
SNCC won by 6 wickets 23 points, Tynedale 2.
On a day when the rain threatened to intervene, the Bulls bounced back in style to achieve a 6 wicket win in only 16 overs. Sol & Birty hit 25x4 & 2x6 between them, the 4th wicket putting on 96 in quick time as variations of length were severely punished.
Winning the toss Tynedale were asked to bat. The left handed pair Mpofu & Parker faced the seam of Rogers & Wightman. Parker (0) succumbed to the 5th ball as the edge was very well caught by Nik, diving to his left at third slip. This became 7-2 in the third over as A Fletcher edged to Birty in the slips off Tom.
In the 4th Ted Fletcher (6) was lbw to Jonny, 14-3 & at the same score Mpofu (7) lbw to Tom. Sean Tindale entered the attack in over 10 & bowled Barber(6) driving airily off stump, 34-5. 48 -6 in the 14th as Crichton (12) was caught at third slip by Nik off Sean. 53-7 in the 16th when Stephenson (15) pushing forward, was bowled by Sean.
Resistance then came from Rourke who struck Jonny for 4 & 6 & Scott. The total had reached 93 in the 22nd when Scott (11) was athletically run out by Sol, reacting quickly at short mid wicket & throwing down the non striker's stumps, 8 down.
Rourke & Byerley attacked selectively & the score had risen to 130 in the 31st when Rourke (40, 50b, 4x4,2x6) inadvertently lobbed to Sol at point off Sean. In over 34 Byerley (30, 44b, 5x4) hit Oli for 4 but in attempting to repeat, was bowled, 144 all out after 33.5 overs.
The skies threatened, an urgent need to bat positively. Bell & Rogers faced the right arm seam of Scott & A Fletcher. Sol took 4x4 in the first over pulling to mid wicket & glancing to fine leg. But in the third Scott enticed Tom (0) to drive to cover where O Fletcher took the catch & two balls later Nik's drive (0) squirted to point where Mpofu obliged, 22-2.
Hewi (15,26b) hit 3x4 in over 5 from Scott but at 42 in the 7th he was caught by Mpofu at point, 3 down, Sol 24*. Enter Birty who hit 2x4 immediately & two more in over 9.
Over 10-9 runs, over 11- 5 runs, over 12-20 runs as Birty pulled & drove 5x4 from consecutive deliveries from A Fletcher, over 13-14 runs as both Sol & Birty struck boundaries, over 14-14 runs, a Sol maximum & Birty boundary.
Mpofu bowled over 15 & was hit for 4 & 6 by Birty (75, 38b, 16x4, 1x6) who then top edged a sweep to short fine leg where Barber made ground from slip to take the catch. A totally exhilarating innings perfect for the situation
Sean (5*) & Sol 49* (39b, 9x4, 1x6) completed the victory at the end of the 16th over. The rain stayed away but only two games in the Premier Division produced a result, the rest were abandoned.
23 points sees the Bulls up to 4th, one point behind Tynemouth in third & 27 adrift of undefeated Burnmoor at the top.
The visit of Sunderland in second spot on Sat 22nd June (h) 1130, 110 overs is to look forward to. We hope you can be there.
ECB NATIONAL CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP REGIONAL FINAL.
Sunday 16th June 2024: SNCC v Woodlands (h) 40/40
Woodlands 199-9 (38.4o) Brad Schumulian 29, Kieran Collins 42, Scott Richardson 26, Moh Bilal 28: Tom Rogers 1-30, Jonny Wightman 5-50, Sean Tindale 0-32, Oli McGee 1-31, Lee Crozier 2-44.
Match abandoned after 38.4 overs- rain : replay Sun 23rd June (h) 1300.
Our visitors travelled by coach from Bradford, hoping that the forecast rain in late afternoon might not happen. Sadly it did & after tea & a break of c90 minutes, including mopping operations, the game was abandoned at 1815. The replay will take place on Sunday 23nd June, 1300, 40/40 at Roseworth Terrace.
The Bulls invited Woodlands to bat. Frankland & Jackson faced Rogers & Wightman. A steady start & with the rate around 5's in the 6th Jackson (3) top edged a hook off Wightman to short fine leg where Rogers retreating took the catch. From the last ball of the same over Frankland edged Wightman to first slip where Nik took a neat catch, 31-2.
In the 9th the powerful Clee (0) edged Rogers to first slip where Gorantla took a sharp chance with aplomb, 39-3. Schumulian ran well & in company with K Collins the score moved on as Tindale, McGee & then Crozier entered the attack.
The total had reached 88 in the19th when Schumulian (29) top edged a sweep off McGee for Crozier to retreat & turn at short fine leg & take a very good catch as the ball came over his head. Already the fielding was markedly better than a week ago, the intensity was good & many runs were saved. Hewison patrolled the cover boundary with a strong arm.
Crozier had begun a spell in the 16th & in the 26th at 105 the left handed L Collins drove hard only for Lee to pluck the ball out of the air, at head height in his follow through, magnificent !, 4 down. This became 5 down based on another exceptional piece of fielding as K Collins slog swept Crozier just in front of square leg for Gorantla to move quickly to his right from mid wicket & diving, hold the catch inches above the turf,121-5. 5 catches in two days for Nik, inspirational !
But Woodlands bat deep & an enterprising, left handed partnership between S Richardson & Bilal, including a 6 first ball to mid wicket, saw the total rise to 167 in the 32nd when Bilal (28, 20b, 4x4 1x6) miscued a pull to be caught by Rogers at short third man off Wightman. This became 179 -8 in the 34th as E Richardson (10) edged Wightman to w/k Peyton. One run & 3 balls later S Richardson (24) was lbw to Wightman. The first 5 wicket haul by a Bulls bowler this season.
The drizzle had begun but the last wicket partnership of Ahmed & Kaye was composed lasting 20 minutes & 24 balls adding 19 when the umpires decided it was too wet to continue after 38.4 overs.
With 8 balls still remaining no DLS calculation could be made & although the rain seemed to ease & the sheets were removed, it returned & the game was abandoned at 1815.
So all to play for again in 7 days time, we hope for a fine day & some more exciting cricket. The Bulls fielding & catching was as good as we have seen this season. The standard is set, we must continue.
Duncan.