Sunday afternoon at Prem was scheduled to see the last match of Delia Memorial School’s tour but the boys from Hong Kong had preferred to celebrate the Muslim festival of Eid, so Lanna CC took the advantage of the situation to stage a 10 aside match between Lanna Seniors against Lanna Juniors. Transport was arranged to bring children from Lamphun and from Buak Krok Noi School in Chiang Mai and an enjoyable day was had by all as players as young as 10 years old gained their first experience of hard ball cricket.
Even though Lanna Seniors gave a debut to another new player Michael Cant who had impressed at nets on Tuesday and made an accomplished 40 Lanna Seniors could muster a total of 78 for 8 in a rain reduced innings. Chanchai and Cher took two wickets apiece and Beer and Choo both bowled steadily. All nine outfield players bowled at least an over and Min, Yod, Ong and Ti from Buak Krok Noi School showed the benefits of junior nets at Gymkhana Club.
A heavy shower had already interrupted play but Lanna Juniors made light of damp conditions as they reached their target of 79 in less than 11 overs. Chanchai had come up short against some stong bowling against DMS but he was in his element against the familiar medium pace of JD and Martin Papworh.
Although JD made his journey from Chiang Rai worthwhile by taking two wickets, Chanchai stayed to the end to make an unbeaten 34 and Cher made 14 before he became Shine Thomas’ second wicket. The match continued after the chase had been concluded so that everybody could make the most of their extra day’s cricket.
Even Prem head groundsman Pirom enjoyed a rare chance to play and he enlisted the boys’ help with the covers when rain stopped play. Tom Salusbury bowled his first overs as new Lanna chairman, Locky claimed yet another wicket with a double bouncer but the highlight of the day must have been the performance of 10-year-old Chanchai, now known as Chanchai Lek.
He had proved one of the keenest cricketers at the junior nets and so was determined to come to play when he heard there was a chance of a game. He had shown no fear of the hard ball when he batted or ran around in the field and gave the day the perfect end when he took a wicket with his first ball. The catch was taken by Mot who had last played alongside Bunchuai and the other hill tribe boys at Wat Don Chan five years ago..
Chanchai Lek was nonplussed by all the celebrations and we all hope that this will be the first of many wickets for him in a long career in junior cricket in Chiang Mai. The heavens then opened once more but a successful few days of cricket had been completed.