Chiang Mai’s cricketers enjoyed their Christmas and
New Year break and 2014 started in entertaining fashion as Lanna’s
senior side played Lanna Juniors in a friendly at Gymkhana Club. Lanna
now have an impressive list of members as they play an enjoyable brand
of social cricket but in the absence of the impressive pair of Chatfield
and Cardno, Lanna’s adult side where beaten by five wickets as the
Juniors chased down a target of 188 on a day when the batting was
generally much better than the bowling.
Lanna Seniors looked to have posted an imposing total
of 187 for 6 as Jason Bray hit strongly through the off-side as he
reached fifty in 45 balls with eight fours. Richard Cowles and Wani
Basharat played their usual entertaining cameos but giant newcomer Neil
Whitehead took his time as he struggled against the short ball but hit
massively when the ball was pitched up as he struck 3 fours and 3 sixes
in an innings of 41.
Chanchai was the best of the bowlers as he conceded
only 20 from his five overs but Jo claimed three wickets late in the
innings to keep the Lanna total under 200. The men were confident that
they had done enough for a comfortable victory but the boys are
improving fast with the bat and were undaunted by the target or by the
quality of the bowling.
Bunchuai had scored a century the last time he had
faced Lanna’s bowling but he his team-mates hadn’t been able to give him
the necessary support. The young captain again looked comfortable
against some wayward bowling as he reached fifty in 34 balls but this
time his team-mates backed him up superbly.
Choo shared in an opening partnership of 72 in less
than 9 overs and after Bunchuai had retired, Cher and Chanchai both went
for their shots as the boys maintained a rate of nine runs an over.
Martin Papworth briefly found a good line and length with his out-swing
but even the reliable Eddie Joyner was hit to all corners.
Nithi raced in to bowl as fast as he could but his
lack of practice with the ball saw a sequence of head high full tosses
which the boys were able to guide to the boundary. Cher was required to
retire on reaching his first fifty in senior cricket and suddenly a
change of pace saw a dramatic late collapse.
Taran Persaud bowled his gentle off-spin wide of
off-stump and claimed four wickets all stumped by Richard Cowles as the
boys tried to end the match with big hits. Chanchai had played some
lovely shots so his wild swing brought a disappointing end to a fine
innings of 40. Formot, Boom and Champ made only one run between them,
but Leng and Frong scrambled the winning runs as Lanna Juniors won by
five wickets.
Taran took three wickets in an over and finished with
figures of 4 for 17 as he showed the virtue of taking the pace off the
ball but it came too late for the senior Lanna team. Much of the bowling
they faced was poor but it was good to see three such confident innings
from talented juniors, Cher and Chanchai giving fine support to the
ever-dependable Bunchuai.
The three boys will now be pressing for promotion to the senior side
when they take on Chiang Mai Cricket Club in the next league match. For
further information and photographs on Lanna cricket please go to
www.lannacricket.org
