Pattaya Cricket Club could not overhaul the target of 211 runs in their latest Premier League match against Aditya Birla-ICC away in Bangkok last weekend.
The team resembled a travelling circus rather than an aspiring cricket team attempting to finish in the coveted top four of the league and they did not disappoint as only nine players were available to take the field due to our friends in brown uniform detaining the opening bowler and square leg fielder for speeding.
PCC had been asked to bowl first in sweltering conditions and on a turf wicket that would not have looked out of place in an allotment. This is very frustrating when there is a perfect artificial wicket next to this minefield.
AB-ICC took an instant liking to the makeshift bowling attack as Andy ‘Boots’ Emery was obviously struggling with blisters to his feet, a result of practicing for hours in the nets!
Having paid their speeding fine, Shan eventually entered the attack, the team could afford a slip and immediately the run rate slowed. Together with Usman and the maturing Dutch spinner Leon, PCC reduced the opposition to106 for 5. Leon bowled beautifully and finished with figures of 8 overs, 4 wickets and 13 runs. However, tired fielding and dropped catches contributed to a powerful finish to the innings from Vincent as he completed a masterful century (107) and was ably assisted by Vidit (58 not out) to help AB-ICC post a total of 211 runs from the allotted 40 overs.
PCC needed a solid start but with only 19 runs on the board they had lost 3 wickets. The wicket had deteriorated rapidly as Leon had already been hit on the head from off a length, Adam Oyston had been hit on the foot from a bouncer and Sunny had been rapped numerous times on the gloves.
It was left to Simon and Hansie to rescue the innings. Hansie grew in confidence and some marvelous clean hitting started a counter-attack that soon rattled the opposition. After 2 sixes and 6 fours Hansie finally succumbed, more to exhaustion than a good delivery, for 57 and PCC were 104 for 4.
Once Simon was clean bowled trying to maintain the required run rate for 30 the innings lost its momentum. Richard Harvey and Shan had brief cameo appearances but PCC closed their innings on 171 for 8.
PCC’s next league fixture is away again against the Southerners at the Thai Cricket Ground on Saturday 12th March.
