Chiang Mai Lanna won the Chiang Mai Big Bash title for 2015 after a very hectic weekend of cricket played at Gymkhana Club. It was a four-team tournament with Lanna being joined by fellow Chiang Mai team United and by visiting teams Pattaya and Patong, as the four teams played three 15-over matches with three matches played on Saturday and three more on Sunday.
Lanna finished the competition as clear winners as they won all three of their matches while the three other sides only won one match apiece with Pattaya finishing second, United third and Patong fourth by virtue of the bonus point system.
But Lanna’s eventual success was by no means as clear cut as the final table makes it seem, as going into the last match again Pattaya, both teams could win the title as Pattaya needed to beat Lanna and achieve one extra bonus point to win the title and when they scored 146 for 3 in their 15 overs, they looked to have a good chance.
Dan Nicholson laid the foundation with 28, Paul Hack made 53 before retiring and Simon Philbrook raced to 34 as the total mounted rapidly and Lanna knew they had a fight on their hands when Walter Persaud was stumped first ball off the bowling of Chanchai as he failed to notice that the keeper was standing up.
Martin Cardno came in to join young Bunchuai with Lanna’s hopes largely resting on their shoulders. Luckily Cardno had rediscovered his best form following a night out at Zoom Bar and hit his second fifty of the day while Bunchuai had arrived from college and played beautifully as he punished anything short.
Both batsmen had to retire on reaching their fifties and there was still work to do as the wickets began to fall at an alarming rate. Once Pattaya had claimed a bonus point for taking their fifth wicket, Lanna had to win or tie the match to claim the trophy and they only stumbled over the line with two balls to spare by virtue of a wide.
It was a gripping end to an exciting weekend’s cricket with the two touring teams playing their parts to the maximum as they fully involved the young Thai cricketers as Chanchai and Cher played for Pattaya, and Por, Champ, Yod and Beer for Patong. All the boys were given shirts and had their travel and food costs paid for and Pattaya kindly donated a bag of junior equipment.
The first match of the weekend was played between Pattaya and United and it was the visiting team who came out on top as they scored an impressive139 for 3 in their 15 overs as openers Dan Nicholson (52 retired) and Colin Clark (41) both played excellent innings. United never looked likely to reach a stiff target once Chanchai had dismissed the dangerous Ismail. United were restricted to 104 for 7 as Pattaya won by 35 runs.
The second match was an eagerly anticipated clash between the two local sides as Lanna faced United. Bunchuai batted beautifully before running himself out for 40 and he was well supported by Richard Young (26) and Richard Cowles (23) and Lanna’s innings was given an explosive finish thanks to Hamish Weir’s 22 from 9 balls and Shine Thomas’ 14* from 3 balls.
A total of 161 for 6 was the highest of the weekend and even though Ismail made a classy half-century United again never threatened to overcome their massive target as they reached 118 for 5 as Lanna enjoyed an impressive victory by 43 runs.
The final match of the opening day was played between the two touring teams, and although Pattaya were clear favourites after their impressive performance in the morning, it was Patong who came out on top as they were able to defend a total of 120 for 5. Raju had made 38 from 16 balls but it was young Por who took Patong to a defendable total as he hit two sixes in his unbeaten 20.
Thai boys Por and Yod also bowled well and Pattaya looked likely to finish well short as they slipped to 80 for 6 but Dan Nicholson and Paul Hack had been dropped down the order and their seventh-wicket stand almost saved the day but Patong held on to win by 10 runs.
Pattaya captain Simon Philbrook held a slammers session at the end of the day and reflected on his side’s inconsistent performances but all was still to play for on Sunday as three sides had now won one match in the tournament.
The first match on the second day saw Lanna take on Patong and even though Imtiaz reached 50 and Por hit another six, the visitors made only 108 for 5 as Lanna’s bowling attack proved very effective with the two Js, Jun and Joyner, opening up and Walter Persaud taking two wickets and JD conceding only 14 from his 3 overs.
Martin Cardno had made only nine in the first match, so had turned to Leo in his search for form and thankfully the prescribed medicine did the trick as he raced to fifty from 25 balls as Lanna reached their target in only 11.1 overs.
Patong then had to face United and did so with four Thai juniors in the team and Ismail made his second ffty of the weekend as his team reached 146 for 4. Por was promoted to open the batting and Raju again batted well as he reached fifty from 28 balls with nine fours and a sixe but Patong could only make 113 for 5 as United won their first match of the tournament by 33 runs.
The stage was set for Lanna and Pattaya to decide the competition winners in the final match and it was Lanna who triumphed with their third victory of the weekend thanks to fifties from Bunchuai and Martin Cardno but it was a very exciting match that brought an enjoyable tournament to a close in exciting fashion. All four teams had played their part and the generosity of the two touring teams, Pattaya and Patong, towards the local Thai juniors is greatly appreciated.