BULLS WINNING DRAW BUT FRUSTRATED BY DOGGED FELLING.

18th Jun 2025

         BULLS WINNING DRAW BUT FRUSTRATED BY DOGGED FELLING.

 Sat 14^th June 2025: NEPL Premier Division: SNCC v Felling (h) 110o, w/l/d

SNCC 209-6 dec (49o) Sam Ewart 18, Sol Bell 109, Simon Birtwisle 50* : Palzer Tamang 2-59, Ishaq Khan 0-38, Tom Slane 2-52, Paul Leonard 1-24, Mohammed Hamid 1-39.

Felling 128-6 (49o) Ben Robinson 19, Alan Mustard 22,  Alasdair Appleby 25, Tom Slane 34: Jonny Wightman 0-20, Cody Hoffmeister 2-33, George Drissell 1-33, Nathan Gough 2-8, Sol Bell 1-2.

Winning draw SNCC - 16 points, losing draw Felling 7 .

A weather forecast suggested rain in the afternoon, the wicket was green tinged & the visitors invited the Bulls to bat. Sam Ewart & Sol Bell faced the seam of Palzer Tamang (Grove) & Ishaq Khan (Park).

Six boundaries in the first 6 overs as both Sam (2) & Sol (4) took advantage of variations of length on a wicket showing some variable bounce. In the 7^th Sam survived a chance towards square leg off Khan as w/k Stamper made good ground but could not cling on. One ball later a powerful pull was palmed over the bar at mid wicket & in the next Sol, driving, survived a hard, very low c & b chance to Slane.

At 43 in the 11^th Sam (18) cut Slane to gully where Carroll took the catch chest high. Two overs later, in Paul Leonard's first, George Drissell pulled only his second ball to deep mid wicket where Robinson did not have to move to take the catch, 50-2 after 12.2 overs.

Sol was in sparkling form & reached 50 (66b, 10x4) in over 20 cutting Leonard to backward point. Seemingly effortless, well timed  boundaries through cover (2), straight (1), mid wicket (3), square leg (1) fine leg (1) & point (1) preceded it as the seamers toiled.

Will Alexander (9) got one that seemed to keep low & played on to Tamang in the 21st, 81-3. Warmer & brighter, the sun appeared before lunch at 1330 with the score at 95-3 after 28 overs.

Two maidens then in the 35^th Tamang got some away movement to breach Hewi's defences bowled for 9, 117-4. Sol continued to find the fence with 4x4 & a partnership of 62 was built with Birty, who started with three x2 . Slane & Hamid (sla) then bowled overs 36 to 49.

Sol's deserved century came up in the 46th with a single off Hamid, (156b, 17x4) a magnificently controlled innings full of well timed shots. 143 after 40 became 178 after 47 when the heavens opened & the players left the field for 60 minutes. Prompt covering by Groundsman Craig Thompson, who had anticipated the rain, assisted by the team, meant that sheets rapidly covered the playing area. 

After mopping up the covers the game resumed at 1613, a 52/46 over split. Sol (109, 162b,18x4) drove Hamid's second delivery to long off & was caught by Majeed. He returned to much deserved applause. Adam began with back-to-back boundaries & in the 49^th Birty pulled, drove & cut Slane for 6,2,4,4,4 before a wide+1 saw Adam (8) lbw to the last ball, 209-6, Birty 50* (42b, 6x4,1x6).Exhilarating!

The sun stayed out & a drying wind blew. Robinson & Mustard faced Wightman & Hoffmeister. Two maidens for Jonny & 25-0 after 10 overs which included 4x4 & 12 scoring shots. George Drissell snared Robinson (19, 43b 3x4) at short leg as a bat/pad looped in the air to be well taken by Adam over his shoulder at short leg, 37-1 in over 14.

Three overs later Mustard (22,42b 4x4) was lbw to Cody, bowling from the Grove end, one that seemed to keep low, 49-2. Two overs later Majeed (10) was comprehensively bowled off stump by Cody, 60-3. Appleby & Slane pushed on as Oli replaced Cody & Nathan began a spell from the Park end.

9 from Oli's third & then, following a wide, Nathan smartly caught & bowled an attempted Appleby (25, 38b 4x4) pull on follow through, 95-4 at drinks.

Two overs later Nathan's full delivery saw Tamang (2) aiming to leg & be adjudged lbw, 99-5. Oli, George, Jonny then George, Oli & Cody attempted a breakthrough but Slane & Stamper were resolute & eschewed all risk. 12 scoring shots in 19 overs, 6 of which were maidens, accumulated 29 runs.

As close fielders surrounded both batters, in the 48^th Sol got bounce & Slane (34, 88b 4x4) defended to short leg where Adam took the catch .His partner Stamper (3*) was unmoved batting 54 balls to secure the draw.

Memories of lob bowling come to mind in attempts to tempt batters to free their arms!

The Bulls remain in third place in the Premier Division on 155 points, second place CLS are on 168, leaders Burnmoor on 193.

Onward to Sat 21st June, SNCC v Burnopfield (a) 110 overs, w/l/d from 1130. We hope you can be there to cheer the team on.

Duncan.