Chiang Mai Lanna and Pattaya have been regular opponents over the last few months and it has been Pattaya who had taken the honours by winning four matches in a row, two on home soil and the Thai Polo Club in August 2013, and two during the Southerners Sixes in Bangkok last month. Three of the four matches had gone down to the wire so Lanna were looking for a long-awaited success.
Eddie Joyner took his place at the helm and put Martin Cardno back at the top of the batting order where he belongs and he didn’t disappoint as he smashed the ball to all parts to reach his fifty from just 20 balls with 6 fours and 3 sixes. Nithi Thongmanee provided one of his cameos but it was left to Tim Jones and young Chanchai to make sure that an impressive total was posted.
Tim Jones had waited for his chance and hit 5 fours and a six in his unbeaten 41 and Chanchai again showed himself to be a fantastic young cricketer in the making with 27 not out as the final score reached 161 for 2.
Surely this would at last prove to be Lanna’s day against Pattaya but captain Eddie was determined not to let this opportunity slip even though he did let the ball go through his legs before recovering with a pin point throw to gain a run out. John Spires proved himself to be the most consistent player of the tournament to pass 100 runs with his innings of 37* and it was left to Eddie to make sure of victory by bowling the final over.
Lanna had beaten Pattaya by the margin of 30 runs to finish second but it was Gymkhana who finished as champions in this four-team tournament by winning all three of their matches in comprehensive fashion. John Spires of Pattaya won the player of the tournament and Patong didn’t win anything except for the thanks of the cricket fraternity of Chiang Mai for being such good tourists and for giving places in their team to Thai juniors who will have benefited from the great enjoyment they saw being had on the field.
Plans are already in place for another joint visit from Pattaya and Patong so that the weekend becomes another regular highlight in the Chiang Mai cricketing calendar. Six matches in a weekend was quite a feat of endurance for all the officials, umpires, scorers, groundsmen and even for the long-suffering reporter who has finished his job at last and was even rewarded with a run around on the field.