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Cricket in Balance
Ross Turner demonstrates
fielding
By Eric Little
The ACC (Asian Cricket Council) in conjunction with Cricket Australia
held a Specialist Skills Course at Prem Center in Mae Rim, Chiang Mai from
16th – 22nd July 2006
The one week course at Prem Center in Mae Rim was specifically aimed at
wicket keeping, spin bowling and fielding. The theme was, “Being Balanced”.
Representatives from the Asian cricket playing countries of: India, Sri
Lanka, Bangladesh, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Nepal, Qatar,
UAE, Oman and Maldives were in attendance.
Ross Turner from Cricket Australia directed the course, with assistance from
Graham House, Toot Byron, and Graham Manou, who took different coaching
session during the six days.
Dr. Vece Paes the ACC’s Consultant for Sports Medicine and Fitness was in
attendance along with former Test and one day cricketers and ACC Development
Officers; Iqbal Sikandar, Roger Binney, Rumesh Ratnayake, Ali Zia, CAT was
represented by Mohindeer Kader, Peter Goodchap and local Puttivat “Parn”
Poshanynondo from CMSCA CAT (Cricket Association of Thailand) together with
CMSCA (Chiang Mai Schools Cricket Alliance) assisted in the smooth running
of the course.
This is the third Seminar held at the Prem Center, where the facilities are
excellent The ACC is delighted at the success of the course and will
schedule more Seminars in Chiang Mai.
Society golf
Golf under Doi Suthep
mountain.
By Sandy Lie
Steve Polaski won last week’s Royal League competition at the Highlands
Golf and Spa Resort in style, with a gross score of 78 shots and 39
stableford points. In moist conditions, he was sometimes hitting the ball
over 300 yards off the tee, getting up and down from bunkers and holing out
from all quarters of the green.
The peel was flying off the face of the club so sweetly Steve went through
the green from the box with his drive on the 323 yard par four, 11th and in
two shots on the par 5, 18th. And on the mammoth 521 yard
15th, the lad was up in two 20 yards from the flagstick.
Apart from Steve’s gross score, his back nine of 34 shots, including four
birdies and two bogeys, and homeward run of 24 points were all Royal League
records.
This performance kept Steve at third in the Prize Winners List an
improvement over last year’s final placing of 8th. But it wasn’t enough to
overhaul Ian Laidlow - currently listed second - who followed up his
previous week’s win by coming in runner up this time out.
After five top three finishes this term, Ian’s handicap has been chopped by
2 to 25, but that didn’t stop him from recording a worthy 35 points and
proving yet again to be Grahame Curry’s nemesis.
Grahame had this to say after finishing third last week, two points behind
Ian. “Ian Laidlow continues to be the thing of nightmares for Yours Truly.
Apart from a couple of holes where [he] ran up an eight and a nine, he was
consistency itself, racking up the two and three pointers to keep the score
card ticking over.”
So, while Scott Stairs still tops the Prize Winners List, Last year’s Champ,
Grahame, must stay content with 4th.
More about the Royal League can be found on www.theroyalleague.com.
International Cricket
is Coming to Chiang Mai
Eric Little
For the first time ever Thailand will be hosting a Major International
Cricket tournament. Under the auspices of the ACC 10 countries from the
non-Test playing countries of Asia will be represented by their under 15
cricketers. One of the highlight will be the first appearance of a team from
China on the International cricket scene. This should create further
interest in cricket in Thailand.
Matches will be played at 4 different venues, 2 in Bangkok and 2 in Chiang
Mai. Locally the Chiang Mai Gymkhana Club and Prem Center will each host
series of games over nine days leading up to the finals. The fact that there
will be turf wicket available for cricket to be played on is a huge step
forward for cricket in this region.
There will be considerable interest in which of the local boys will be
representing Thailand again. There is a possibility of up to six local boys
being selected for the team. Their selection will depend on their own
dedication to training and attitude in developing their own personal cricket
skills. Four of the boys performed very well in Bangkok during an under 15
tournament in May so have signaled that they are ready for bigger
challenges.
In preparation there will be a three team tournament will be played in
Chiang Mai in November to sharpen up the eligible Thai players and give the
selectors a good chance to see the players under some pressure. Thailand is
keen to show that its recent improvement has not been a one off and wants to
continue its winning way.
Chiang Mai Pool League: Pool League’s
John Whiting calls it a day
Pat Black
After five years of running the Chiang Mai Pool League with the utmost
efficiency, John Whiting has decided to call it quits at the end of this
season. He told Chiangmai Mail, “I’ve simply had enough and that’s all there
is to it. Obviously, I will help my successor by handing over the systems I
use for working out fixtures and league tables and give any advice I can.”
 Blue
Sky Bob taking a rest in the Garden.
In the way John has run the League, it largely manages itself, but someone
should be at hand on match nights to take results and mediate controversies.
No one expects volunteers to come flocking for the job in such
circumstances, but if nobody does it will be the end of the League.
Interested parties should contact John without delay on 09 261 5318, 05 327
8503 or email cmtrueblue@hotmail.com.
On to last week’s League action, when Friend’s Corner and Half Moon Pub both
took a point with 5-4 wins to stay joint leaders. In a ding-dong battle at
Friend’s, scores were level at the interval and all square at 4-4 before The
Corner managed to edge December Bar. Unfortunately the match was marred by
suggestions that Friend’s had used excessive gamesmanship, especially in the
deciding frame, and the match concluded in a somewhat unfriendly atmosphere.
At Chiangers and Bangers, Half Moon Pub was chasing the game by trailing
0-2, 1-3 and 2-4 during the singles. But fortunes changed hands in the first
doubles. Chiangers sank a stripe on the break, but on potting the next one,
knocked the black in by mistake to lose the frame without The Moon having
taken a shot. At 4-4, up stepped Ron the “The Gloved Gladiator”, to polish
off the final three balls and keep The Moon in high orbit.
There was just as much excitement at Blue Sky Bar, where the home side’s
young star Willy began a promising clearance that would have won the
deciding frame. But an unfortunate foul on his last ball handed The Wall
with the simplest of blacks, and the match.
These results meant that the first four League positions remained unchanged,
but The Wall moved into 5th above Out Back, who suffered a 3-6 home defeat
from Blue Sky Garden.
In the second half of the table, Number 1 Pub got off to a bright start at
La Villa by winning the first frame, but that only fired the Pizza Boys into
action and the latter swallowed up the next five games. The home side then
took two of the doubles to round off a topping performance.
Enjoy Place will be mighty relieved to end their nine match losing streak
with a 5-4 home win against Rock Hard Bistro. In a closely fought contest,
games were level at the break, but Enjoy took the first two doubles to make
sure of the point.
Rock Hard have now lost 10 of their last 11 matches - seven of those by the
odd frame. And last week’s result put them in the League’s basement, on
level points with The Local, who squeezed past Happy Bar at home. Happy took
the first doubles frame to move into a 4-3 lead, but The Local countered to
force a tactically fought decider, in which Pla knocked in the black to give
the home side victory.
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