After a few false starts, the 2024 cricket season kick started in style over the weekend, with new Hill pro Yash Kothari having a debut weekend to remember, with two centuries on consecutive days,
The weekend didn't start in the best fashion ,with a ten man 1st team going down to a heavy 74 run defeat at Shotely Bridge in the first of three tough NEPL T20 Group A games. The remaining games are against Burnmoor (away) on Friday 17th May, and Felling (at home) on Friday 31st May. That said even in defeat there were signs of things to come on Saturday and Sunday with new pro Yash top scoring with 31 in the Hill's 124 all out total.
NEPL Premier League - 1st XI v Newcastle (h) - won by 2 wickets.
Match Report by Phil Haves.
The sun made a long awaited appearance for the weekend as the First XI had their first double header of the season at NBMS Denton Bank.
On Saturday we entertained Newcastle in the NEPL, a game which saw the League debut of new overseas Professional Yash Kothari….. but more of that later!!!
Pete won the toss & on a glorious Saturday morning asked the visitors to bat. We made a great start with Callum striking twice to reduce Newcastle to 13/2. A 59 run partnership between Green & Stewart was ended as the visitors skipper became Yash’s first League wicket. Max then claimed 2 wickets, including that of the dangerous Du Toit, as the visitors struggled to gain any noticeable momentum against the Hill attack. It was only when Asher Hart returned to the crease having previously retired due to what appeared to be a back issue that boundaries started to arrive as he hit 5 x 6s & 3 x 4s in a 34 ball 55. Callum returned to the attack & duly wrapped up the Newcastle innings for 210 taking the last 4 wickets, finishing with excellent figures of 6-48. Yash with 2-26 & Max 2-31 were the other wicket takers.
The Hill innings started with a 27 partnership before Adam was adjudged LBW whilst at the other end Haydon was striking the ball cleanly reaching a brisk 21 before falling to an excellent catch by Robinson at deep square leg. Pete & Belly fell cheaply as we were reduced to 63/4 however Yash was looking comfortable at the other end. A partnership of 39 with Rory steadied the ship before Max (27) then played an excellent supporting innings as he added 74 with Yash to take us to 181 before he ‘clothed’ a short ball & was caught behind. Yash was playing supremely well & in front of a large crowd enjoying the afternoon duly reached a classy Hundred off 110 balls before disappointingly falling for 110 with 5 required to win which was duly achieved by 2 wickets with Dan & Luke at the crease. An excellent win for the side underpinned by Yash’s brilliant hundred, Callum’s 6-48 & Max’s all round performance of 2-31 & crucial 27 with the bat.
1st XI NEPL scorcard v Newcastle (h)
NEPL Division 2 - 2nd XI v Newcastle (a) - won by 38 runs.
Match report by Pete Jones.
Having lost the toss and been inserted, a stellar batting line up got to work. And then got out. At 134-9 things were looking grim but, cometh the hour, cometh the Pox. Warren's 44 not out helped us to a competitive total of 179.
In the second innings Newcastle made a promising start, moving steadily to 56 without loss. Things turned back our way when Safiun began a spell of seven overs conceding only eight runs. Along with Prahalad and Aarun some more miserly middle overs piled on pressure that the Newcastle batters couldn't cope with. Wickets began to tumble, Arun collecting four of them. Newcastle were bowled out for 141 in the 40th over.
Our strength in depth allowed us to wrestle back the advantage twice in the game. All in all, promising start to our league season against a Newcastle team who had played two, won two.
2nd XI scorecard v Newcastle (a)
West Tyne League - 3rd XI v Newton (h) - lost by 4 wickets
Despite a close game it was unfortunately back to back league losses for the West Tyne 3s against Newton at Stamfordham CC.
Stand in skipper Zain Ahmed won the toss and decided to bat first on a beautiful warm afternoon, however at 0 for 2, things didn't start too well. Things did pick up slightly but we continued to lose wickets regularly, however thanks to an excellent 38 from U15 Ben Robinson, 33 from Shehar Yar Khan and 18 from U15 Aaron Armstrong, we finished on 126 for 9 in 40 overs.
Newton also lost quick wickets in their reply, however solid 5th and 6th wicket partnership's got Newton over the line for loss of 6 wickets in the 38th over. Wickets were shared with Ayush Chakraborty taking 2, and 1 each for Aaron, Guy Tinwell, Ben and Rashan Hameed.
West Tyne 3rd XI scorecard v Newton (h)
ECB National Club Championship - 1st XI v Harrogate (h) - won by 74 runs.
Match Report by Phil Haves.
Hoping to continue the winning momentum we welcomed Harrogate from the Yorkshire Premier League North in the Royal London National Clubs KO Cup to NBMS Denton Bank on Sunday. With Max & Haydon representing Northumberland & Belly & Adam unavailable perhaps we were going into the game as slight second favourites. Pete once again won the toss however on this occasion decided to bat, a move which perhaps did not look great as we fell to 8/3 with Arun, Rory & the returning Janders, who had missed the previous day due to concussion, all falling in the face of an early testing few overs. We did however still have Yash at the crease & he appeared to be playing even better than the previous day adding 46 with Pete (18), 59 with Prowler (18), 47 with Will (16) & 41 with Dan (14) as he reached a second hundred (off 95 balls) of the weekend - the feeling of those watching that it was even better innings than Saturday - before eventually falling for 123. Reaching 208 off our 40 overs was more than acceptable given the start to the innings.
In reply Callum once again provided the early breakthrough then up stepped Rory who dismissed both ex Yorkshire players Light & Shutt in an excellent spell of fast bowling of 5-27 in his allocation of 8 overs. Yash again completed an economical spell of 2-24 whilst Luke & Prowler picked up a wicket a piece as the visitors were bowled out for 134 in the 32nd over. A pleasing 74 run win in an excellent all round team performance sees us progress & travel to meet Wakefield Thornes CC on Sunday 26th May in the next round.
Even with 2 excellent victories for the team the weekend however does belong to Yash with 2 centuries (we believe this has never been achieved in first team history). He certainly has made an early great impression within the club & long may it continue!
1st XI scorcard v Harrogate (h)
NEPL Sunday League Division 1 - 3rd XI v Chester Le Street - lost by 91 runs.
A young 3rd XI went down to a heavy defeat at Chester Le Street on Sunday, but there was plenty of promising displays, including a first senior wicket for Ellie Foggan, and more runs for Ben Robinson (30 not out) alongside old man of the team Matty Hynd (34 not out),
NEPL 3rd XI scorecard v Chester Le Street (a)
