Cancellation Culture 2

Game 1: Tynemouth 3s v Newcastle Super Kings (13 April) – CANCELLED

Game 2: Tynemouth 3s v Stamfordham 2s (20 April) – CANCELLED

Game 3: GEMS 2s v Tynemouth 3s (27 April) – CANCELLED

Game 4: Tynemouth 3s v Blaydon 2s (4 May) – CANCELLED

Game 5: Leadgate (155/6) beat Tynemouth 3s (133) by 22 runs (6 May)

Game 6: Tynemouth (232/6) lost to Annfield Plain 2s (234/6) by 4 wickets (11 May)

Tynemouth’s first team cricketers finally got their season underway on Saturday, other than a narrow loss by 5 runs to south north in the Smithson County Cup on the last day of April, after three games in a row had been cancelled due to waterlogged grounds and rain. And what a start it was! An away trip to Ashbrooke was a nice place to start. The ground looked in good condition and a good number of spectators were enjoying the warm sunshine and a few drinks on the overhanging terrace bar. Home skipper Chris Youlden won the toss, and he chose to have a bat first on a flat, good looking deck with just a hint of green.

Durham CCC all-rounder George Drissell opened up with Northumberland County Coach Dan Shurben but Tynemouth started well as Barry Stewart had Shurben lbw for just 8 and then Josh Koen clean bowled George Fishwick for the same score. This brought all-rounder Micky Allen to the crease, and he played positively from ball one helping take the score to 62 before Drissell was caught by Josh Koen off the bowling of Josh Moors for 29. A first NEPL wicket for the Aussie amateur. Allen was joined by skipper Youlden and they put together a fine partnership of 80 when Allen was adjudged lbw off Martin Pollard for 54 and when Durham Uni spinner Fred Harrison took a terrific caught and bowled to dismiss Youlden soon after for 27, the game looked evenly poised at 144/5 and just in the away teams favour when Pollard had Greg Applegarth caught by Moors at 161/6. However that was to be Tynemouth’s last breakthrough and Jack Johnson and Robert Potts batted well and remained not out on 36 and 22 respectively leaving a 45 over final total of 212/6 which looked about a par score. The Tynemouth fielding had been pretty sharp, and the wickets were shared around. Overall a pretty good first effort in the field.

It was Ben Debnam and Matthew Kimmitt who opened up for the visitors facing Sunderland’s opening attack of the experienced Kieran Waterson and Durham Academy graduate Brett Hutchinson. However it wasn’t the start Tynemouth wanted as Kimmitt went for 14, then Robbie Bowman for 4 and when Debnam was lbw to Micky Allan for 5 the score was just 30/3 and Tynemouth were in trouble. However the game was about to change course in quite dramatic fashion as Josh Moors stride to the crease and played one of the finest knocks from a Tynemouth player in the NEPL. Straight away Moors was in imperious form disdainfully hitting Drissell over extra cover two balls in succession for boundaries. At the crease Moors stands upright. He’s not tall but he has quick feet and fast hands and hits the ball hard and with great timing. His running between the wickets is exemplary too. His first fifty came up off 39 balls and he then raced to a brilliant century off just 66 balls. The moment was certainly enjoyed by Moors but also by his teammates in the Pavilion and the spectators of both teams. He was well supported by Joe Snowdon who made 15 and then Dan Thorburn who played a great hand for his 28 and sharing in the match winning partnership of 110 with Moors. With just 5 runs needed Moors was caught by Hutchinson off the bowling of Joe Stuart for a superb 119 which contained 13 fours and 5 sixes. Freddie Harrison finished the game off in grand style hitting Drissell into the houses for a huge maximum leaving his side winners by 4 wickets and off to a positive start for the season ahead. A full scoreboard can be found here: https://nepremierleague.play-cricket.com/website/results/6177871

A day earlier Tynemouth had won their first T20 group match with a 7 wicket victory at Lanchester. Lanchester were bowled out for 127 and Tynemouth chased the runs down for just 3 wickets and with 4 overs to spare. Josh Moors with 3/11 and Fred Harrison with 2/13 were the pick of the bowling attack which included 13 year old George Stewart who bowled 2 tidy overs. Well bowled George! This was a young and inexperienced side who fielded superbly to back up their bowlers. Matt Kimmitt made a bright and breezy 27 and then Josh Moors with 55 and Fred Harrison 32 clinched the game with an unbroken partnership of 54.

Tynemouth 2s did get their season underway in April as well. After suffering a first game cancellation, they took on Ashington 2s at Preston avenue on April 27^th but lost by 52 runs. The visitors batted first, posting an impressive 255/7, with Neil Bennett (3/39) and Sam Robson (2/38) doing their bit for Tynemouth’s cause. The home side’s innings saw two excellent contributions from both ends of the evolutionary scale, with the youthful Joel Hull-Denholm posting an impressive 62 that was only surpassed by Interim Chair Andrew Lineham’s superb unbeaten 64. To no avail though, as the 2s closed on 203/5. After making it through to the second round of the James Bell Cup, after Annfield Plain conceded, the 2s notched their first win of the campaign by beating Sacriston (170/8) by 6 wickets. In the field, the wickets were shared around, but George Stewart (3/40) again showed what great potential he has. The runs were knocked off with 7 overs to spare, with Lineham (25*) again doing his beat, but eclipsed by a superb unbeaten 75 by the returning Marcus Turner.

For the first time in living memory, the 3s entered May with the tag of the Invincibles appended, on account of four successive washouts. However, reality intervened when they were spared thunderstorms on May Day at Leadgate. Fielding first, Richy Hay’s experienced side (412 years between them), for which he was both the median and the average in terms of years on the clock, restricted the home side to an eminently gettable 155/6. While the vacationing Martin Pollard (35*) top scorer, the only significant support came from Patrick Hallam with 32. It should be noted that prior to his batting, he had enjoyed an admirable debut stint behind the timbers. Sadly, as wickets fell, the tail conspicuously failed to wag, with the last 5 batters contributing 5 runs between them, as Tynemouth were dismissed for 133, to lose by 22 runs.

After so many cancellations, it was just nice to get back on the field, even I had been carousing in Shields Catholic club and The spring Gardens the night before. My lift was from Chad Koen, who is a bus driver. Consequently, we were 20 minutes late (traffic on the Tyne Bridge and Wester By-Pass), arriving at 15/1. With both Hallams, Linaz, Poll and Chad in the team, I thought we stood a good chance with the bat, and we did bowl quite well, with only one of their partnerships really building. Sadly though, we never really got going and when Patrick and Linaz got out, it all went to pot. I faced 2 balls. The first was the hat trick ball and I felt as crowded as in an elevator on Christmas Eve. I dug it out, only to swing and miss the next one. Shame, but others higher up are there to get the runs, not me. Personally, I’m just pleased to be there.

On Saturday gone, the 3s travelled to Leadgate’s near neighbours Annfield Plain. The importance of continuity of selection was underlined by the 10 changes made for this game, with only ian cusack, as a result of his fluent two ball 0 on the Monday, keeping his place. On a gloriously sunny afternoon up in the hills, the team were led by the redoubtable figure of Chris Beever, who seized the initiative, batted first and contributed a stunning 120. He was given able support by Hamish Swaddle-Scott (51) and Dom Askins (26) as Tynemouth made a more than presentable 232/6. However, on such a perfect batting strip and with little seam available, other than a heroic, hobbling spell by the injured Ed Snelders (1/42), it was always going to be a tough ask to defend the runs. Dom Askins (1/28) did his best, but Annfield Plain came home with 3 balls to go, after a truly excellent game of cricket.

This was a heartbreaker. I wasn’t in the team until Friday afternoon and had prepared myself to head to Percy Main v Haltwhistle (they won 3-0, having beaten Hebburn 5-0 on the Monday when I was at Leadgate), when the call came. I got a lift over from Alan Hiscock, who was ultimately to be another TFC alongside me, so we arrived in plenty of time. Annfield Plain, like Leadgate, is a lovely, community club and I always enjoy my trips there, even if I’ve endured nothing but losses. Today, with Beevs in magisterial form, I knew I wouldn’t get a bat, so I put my fear behind me and did some umpiring. I rightly didn’t give Alosh out LBW (sliding down leg), wrongly didn’t give Dom out stumped (luckily he walked, but what was I thinking) and rightly didn’t give new lad Ben out stumped. I did my best and didn’t over think things. In the field, I was mainly at Square Leg, where I dived but couldn’t prevent a 4 and Mid-wicket, where one of their lads hit one like a tracer bullet just past me, but I didn’t get anything on it, though it only went for 2. Despite the defeat, it was a hell of an enjoyable game of cricket.

The Sunday 3s have lost both their games this far; a league game away to Burnopfield by 84 runs and a cup game at Whitburn by 104. Considering Tynemouth were 5/7 at one point, to actually make 62 was a good effort in the circumstances.