Pattaya Cricket Club hosted Asian Star CC at Horseshoe Point last Sunday in their latest preseason warm-up match and cruised to an emphatic victory against last season’s Premier League Champions. It is another victory that maintains the winning momentum gained from impressive results in recent friendlies and the International Sixes Tournament in Bangkok.
Both teams fielded their strongest XI’s so the fixture was always going to be well contested and a good indicator as to what to expect in the season ahead. ASCC won the toss and elected to bat first. Despite early pressure from the opening bowlers of Usman and Jack it was the ASCC batsmen that assumed control and boundaries flowed across the fast outfield. Bilal and Mazhar were especially brutal on anything short as the score raced to 50 after just 7 overs.
The victorious Pattaya Cricket Club team pose for a photo at Horseshoe Point, Sunday, November 6.
A double bowling change saw Yasir and the Sodhi arrest the run rate and PCC slowly regained control and the pressure began to tell as both batsmen perished trying to maintain the innings momentum. PCC totally dominated the middle section of the 40 over game as the openers returned and despite a typically resilient innings of 32 from Ajay ASCC never really got back into the game and were eventually all out for 168.
The pick of the bowlers were Sodhi, whose leg spin at times mesmerized the batsmen as he ended with figures of 1 for 26 from 7 overs, and Yasir who swung the ball both ways at pace to finish with 2 for 20.
Sunny and Debdas crafted another half century partnership before both fell in quick succession. Bindu, making his club debut having topped the run scoring last season for Punjab, and Jack set about consolidating the start by working the ball with dexterity into the gaps content to keep the run rate ticking over with ones and twos.
As well as the ASCC bowlers bowled the batsmen had the answer and the 100 came up in the 20th over. Then as if they had just received news the flood was coming the final 68 runs came in the next 5 overs as the ball disappeared to all parts. Both batsmen reached their half centuries with Bindu 59 not out and Jack 52 not out and PCC completed an emphatic win by 8 wickets.
Captain Simon Philbrook was delighted with the all round performance quoting, “It is a pleasure to captain a side that offers so many options and a delight to watch both bowlers and batsmen perform to such a high level. The signs look fantastic for the season ahead”.
PCC run a 1st XI, 2nd XI, over 45’s and junior side and anyone wanting to play or support, please see the website at www.pattayacricketclub.com.
