Lanna have enjoyed an impressive run of success in recent weeks and even though they lost to Northern Lions by three wickets the team had again performed well but had to watch as Luke Stokes and Jon Scales helped take the Thai boys to a narrow victory.
Lanna batted first and the team knew they would have to post a good score with Stokes and Scales in the opposition but they were soon on the ropes as Aussie Brian was run out without facing a ball and Pit got the better of Leng who had been promoted to number three.
Fortunately Richard Cowles has been in fine form and he reached 70 from 50 balls with 7 fours and 5 sixes before being required to retire. Arth Patel gave Cowles good support with 38 from 50 balls and the lower order produced some useful runs to take the score past 200.
The Northern Lions bowling was steady and the boys were very sharp in the field with three run outs. Cowles came back in with the fall of the last wicket but was caught on the boundary by Champ to give Pit excellent figures of 4 for 24 as Lanna were bowled out for 207 in 32.4 overs.
Luke Stokes had made 167 and 92* in his two previous innings at Gymkhana Club but this time he would be facing his Lanna team mates. He was opening the innings with Pit who helped him add 39 in just four overs but Ton was bowled first ball.
Chalam has often played brief cameos to show his talent but today he was determined to support Luke Stokes and batted sensibly while watching another batting master class. Stokes retired on 72 from 61 balls with 8 fours and 3 sixes but Champ was third out with the score still only on 130.
Jon Scales quickly got into his stride and hit 28 from just 15 balls as Chalam helped him add 50 for the fourth wicket. Chalam’s innings was full of character and common sense but he could not quite see his side home to victory as he was bowled for 37 from 65 balls as Nu and Richie George both took two wickets to keep Lanna in the game.
Patter and Lao took Northern Lions over the line to a three-wicket victory in 31 overs but the Thai boys all would have benefited from batting alongside Stokes and Scales and Lanna wouldn’t have been too downhearted as they are preparing for another contest against CMCC next week.