YOUTHFUL 1864'S BATTLE BUT SUCCUMB TO GEMS

3rd Jul 2025

                   YOUTHFUL 1864'S BATTLE BUT SUCCUMB TO GEMS.

Sat 28^th June 2025: NTCL Div 5 Central: SNCC 1864 v GEMS (h) 40/40.

GEMS 260-8 (39.4o) Rajesh Kumar 34, Umar Burki 29, Muhammad Omer 46, Shahid Iqbal 70, Yashwa Mushtaq 21*: Jacob McCord 0-34, Tom Oliver 0-40, David Cragg 2-39, Leo Harper 0-33, Elliott Mee 2-36, Aadi Bethanabatla 2-59, Tom Young 0-16.

SNCC 1864 151ao (33.1o) Belinda Wewalage 14, Aadi Bethanabatla 20, Olly Alexander 11, Leo Harper 20, Arif Alam 44*, Tom Oliver 13 : Muhammad Shahbaz 5-26, Muhammad Omer 1-26, Malik Afzal 1-30, Rizwan Malik 3-12.

GEMS won by 109 runs - 30 points, SNCC 1864 8.

Another learning experience for a young side whose enthusiasm never faltered, with some good bowling from Leo & Elliott, excellent w/k by Belinda, often standing often up on a wicket of variable bounce, but let down by some  wayward bowling, 16 wides, several dropped chances, some indifferent fielding & batters, who either got in but did not sustain, Arif (45b), Leo (38b), Aadi (35b), Olly (25b) perhaps excepted, or found difficulty coping with the away swing of Shahbaz, whose 5 wickets included a hat trick leaving the 1864's at 57-7 after 17 overs.

GEMS chose to bat. Kumar & Burki faced the seam of Jacob McCord (rm) & Tom Oliver (lm). At 65-1 in the 11^th David Cragg's first, Kumar (34) edged to w/k Belinda  who took a good catch. Leo Harper bowled a 5 over spell for 27 & then in the 19th at 91, the helmetless Burki's (24) attempted sweep top edged into his face & he retired not out.

In the 21st Elliott bowled Hameed (5) with a googly & in over 24 Aadi struck twice as Afzal (12) swung to leg & Tom made good ground in to take a low catch; three balls later Amin (6) top edged to square leg for Leo to take easily, 133-4.

Iqbal's strong right hand began to dominate the innings as Elliott & Aadi twirled. At 190 in the 33rd Omer (45) swung Elliott straight to deep mid wicket where Tom obliged, 5 down. Elliott 7 overs 2-36, a most creditable controlled spell of spin bowling as batters looked to accelerate.

Bowled by an Aadi no ball Iqbal (70, 47b, 9x4, 3x6) continued, striking the luckless Tom Young for 16 in over 35, but one over later he lofted David to deep square leg where Olly took the catch without fuss, 227-6.

Mushtaq (21*) attacked & in the last 2 overs two run outs as R Malik (12) succumbed to an Aadi throw from cover & Shahbaz (2) to a throw from Arif at mid wicket, both to Belinda, 260-8 declared after 39.4 overs ; 23 extras included 16 wides, some very tightly called.

In reply Belinda & Aadi faced the away swing of Shahbaz & seam of Omer. Having taken 8 off a previous over, Belinda attacked again but edged to slip off Shahbaz for 14 (24b, 2x4) in the 7th, 25-1

Aadi & Olly took the score to 43 in the 12^th when Aadi (20, 35b, 2x4) drove Omer straight to cover. In the next over Jacob (2) edged Shahbaz's away swing to the w/k. Two overs later Elliott (1) was caught at mid wicket off Afzal. In the next Shahbaz claimed a hat trick as Olly Alexander (11, 25b 2x4) was bowled, Tom Young (0) & Chris Mee (0) both edged to the w/k, 57-7 in a large hole!

But cometh the hour cometh Arif Alam, who with Leo Harper put together a most creditable partnership of 58 for the 8^th wicket in 10 overs. Leo driving through the off side & Arif punishing anything short to leg.

At 115 Leo (20 (38b, 3x4) was caught at mid off driving R Malik. Tom Oliver (13, 11b, 3x4) struck 3 consecutive boundaries off R Malik in the 30^th but two overs later was caught at mid off attempting to go over the top again, 9 down for 145.

David Cragg (4) pulled a boundary to square leg but was bowled by R Malik at 151 from the first ball of the 34th, leaving Arif 44* (45b,2x4 3x6) a most worthy innings for the team from someone who plays only occasionally but who always makes himself available when called upon.

Onward to Sat 5^th July 2025 SNCC 1864 v Tynemouth (h) 1300 40/40. We hope you can be there to cheer the  team on.

Duncan.