Another eventful weekend, where the weather intervened at the Hill causing the abandonment of the 2nd team game, however at sunny Sacirston there were no such issues as the 1st's won a high scoring game on the final ball. Sunday saw the NTCL 3rd's lose narrowly at Wylam, however in better news the 2nd's won their round robin format NEPL 100 group on run rate against Whitburn and Seaham Park. Read on for all the info ...
NEPL Division 1 - 1st XI v Sacriston (a) - Won by 1 wicket - Match Report by Phil Haves
To adapt a quote from a famous New Zealand cricket commentator- Benwell Hill have won by the barest of margins! That in a nutshell describes our victory at Sacriston on Saturday.
With a good wicket, short boundaries and an outfield like glass it was always going to turn out a high scoring game and so it proved. Belly won the toss and in blustery conditions asked the home side to have a bat. Home captain Nathan Hall, the Division’s leading run scorer, having survived a contentious caught behind decision, made 46 including 8x4s before holing out to TK, who had earlier dismissed fellow opener Anderson, off the bowling of Lee. Anderson and Brown added 75 for the 3rd wicket before a good start after lunch saw Callum dismiss both in quick succession. Another 50 partnership between Barry and Nicholson threatened to take the game away from us however thanks to TK and Max wickets fell at regular intervals which restricted the scoring and the home side finished on 255/9 having batted the full allocation of 58 overs. As with last week with 2 wickets in the last 2 balls Max ensured we claimed full bowling bonus points. Max and TK with 3, Callum 2 and Lee with one were the wicket takers.
In reply, remarkably the same as Max’s late wickets, Rory started in a carbon copy to last week at Phili by dispatching the first 2 balls of the innings to the boundary and along with Belly the opening partnership flourished reaching 71 before the skipper fell for 21. Rory however continued his excellent recent form and despite losing Adam (10) and Pete (12) he plundered 16x4s in an 86 ball 84 before being dismissed with the total on 149/4. TK batting sensibly and risk free watched as Fletch(9), Abu (8) and Max (1) were dismissed leaving us 194/7 until he found great support from Callum as they took us in sight of victory. In typical Hill fashion though the fun started with 9 needed in the last over. TK reached his 50 by depositing the first ball for a maximum leaving 3 required from 5 balls with 3 wickets left. Nothing came from ball 2 before TK was caught a deep mid on off the 3rd ball. The 4th ball brought about a calamitous run out as Callum was dismissed for a vital 34 off 38 balls. 9 wickets down with 3 required off 2 balls soon became 3 off 1 as Winnie was unable to make contact with the 5th ball. The final ball was just what was needed as it was right in Winnie’s slot and he crashed it through extra cover for a match winning boundary.
An absolutely enthralling game for those watching and a great advert for local cricket - well done to both sides for the entertainment - resulted in a second consecutive victory on the road and lifted us up to 3rd at the half way point of the season in what is a very congested League table.
We return home to NBMS Denton Bank next weekend when we entertain Eppleton.
1st XI NEPL Scorecard v Sacriston (a)
NEPL Division 2 - 2nd XI v Castle Eden (h) - Match Abandoned
The 2nd's recovered from a disastrous position of 65 for 7 to post a respectable 181 all out in their home game against Castle Eden at NBMS Denton Bank.This was largely down to a superb and senior best of 72 by Aaron Armstrong batting at #9. He put on a 8th wicket stand of 57 with Andy Dawson (33) and a 10th wicket stand of 53 with skipper Pete Jones (13 not out), the only other player to reach double figures was the returning Rohaan Aatif who socred 33 opening the batting.
In reply the visitors were 59 for 1 off 16 overs (the returning Safiun Diip with the only wicket) when the heavens opened, and no further play was possible,
Pete Jones match view : With what looked a good wicket at Benwell hill we won the toss and elected to bat. Things quickly turned for the worst as we found ourselves 65-7, out in the middle at this time was Andy Dawson and Aaron Armstrong who both batted patiently and took us to 122 before the next wicket (Andy Dawson 33). Aaron’s innings was crucial (72) in taking us to a more competitive score of 181 of 47.3 overs.
Going into the 2nd innings after having already been off for the rain numerous times the visitors started nicely before safi took the first wicket with the score at 59. After the wicket there were a further 2 balls before the rain took us off for the rest of the day with the game being abandoned.
2nd XI NEPL Scorecard v Castle Eden (h)
NTCL Divison 5 West - 3rd XI v Wylam (a) - Lost by 3 wickets - Captains Report by Chris Pounder
A massively frustrating day at Jubilee field saw 3’s lose by 3 wickets. After winning the toss and batting first the hill got off to a decent start with Robbie Cooe and Rashid Shad putting on 31 for the first wicket. Rash trapped in front by James Cantrell for 13.
Aayan Munzir would be the next wicket to fall without scoring before James Walder and Robbie took the score on to 50 before James was unlucky to see one that didn’t bounce creep under his bat and bowling him for 14. Robbie Cope would be next to go with the score on 76 batting nicely to reach 33 after the previous week’s 47 not out followed soon after by Freddie Mexter for 12. Gabe would join 3rd team pro Darsh in the middle and take the score from 84/5 to 102/6. Darsh caught N Wells bowled M Wells.
The skipper would be next in and a partnership of 39 with Gabe would take 3’s to 141/7 Gabe caught behind off the bowling of Cantrell. Sai Patel Would be next to fall without troubling the scorers with Amy Chapman (1 not out) last in joining the skipper (14 not out) to finish the innings 145/8.
In reply 3’s were into the middle order in quick fashion. Brown, N Wells, Porter, Wilson and M Wells all falling for single figures. At 12 overs Wylam were 35/5 and the hill looked on for a win but Wylam have managed to get the better of a few NTCL 5 West sides this season and won some tight games and this proved to be the case against the Hill. A 49 run partnership between Davis and Japes took Wyam on to 84 for the 6th wicket before Greenwood was bowled by Darsh for 2.That would be the last wicket and Wylam would go on to have a final partnership of 55 between David (51 not out) and Cantrell (26 not out) and win it by 3 wickets. Pick of the bowlers was Gabe with 3/13 from 8.
3rd XI NTCL Scorecard v Wylam (a)
NEPL - 2nd XI Hundred Competition - Group C
On Sunday the 2nd's travelled to Whitburn to play in the Group C Hundred competition, in a round robin format involving Seaham Park and Whitburn.
First game was a loss against Seaham Park. Aaron Armstrong continued his excellent form with the bat top scoring with 42, next best was Jake Robson with 35, Seaham Park eventually chased our score down with 10 balls to spare.
In the second game we defeated Whitburn, to win the Group on run rate, as Whitburn had defeated Seaham Park in the other game. Runs were shared about with Jake Robson top scoring with 42, Abu SIddique scored 41 and Warren Poxon 30, as we posted 160 in our 100 balls. In reply the hosts finished 32 runs short, man of the moment Aaraon Armstrong the pick of the bowlers with 4 for 24, with 2 wickets each for Pete Jones and Abu.
