PATTAYA, Thailand – For those new to these reports, the Dunford-Philbrook Cup was set up between PCC and BCCC in 2010 and has been played annually ever since, either as a best of three or a straight win. This year has only seen one match at Horseshoe Point on Saturday 9 December 2023.
The match was played in a very family orientated atmosphere with many parents as well as toddlers on a very warm and sunny afternoon. The match was played to Bangkok Cricket League rules over 25 overs and a self-imposed retirement limit of 50 runs. BCCC have recently been promoted in the BCL to A Division and both teams were expecting a competitive match on a wicket of variable bounce and a slowish outfield. However, this was to become a tale of two teams, one of whom could bat, bowl and catch and the other who could not. There were so many ducks the score book resembled a farm yard.
Pramodh was the BCCC captain for the day and lost the toss to Wez Masterton, who was captaining in his last match for PCC as work was taking him overseas. Wez decided to bat first and he opened with Luke Stokes against the bowling of Pramodh. The first over yield just a boundary as Pramodh was bowling with pace and accuracy. Dilip on the other hand was battered by Wez for 11 runs but was unlucky when Wez was dropped by Rahul, the first of many by BCCC, with the score on 9; a mistake that would cost BCCC dearly as Wez would go on to score 49.
Wez continued to plunder boundary 6s from Dilip and Rahul whilst Luke got boundary 4s from Raj Khan. By the end of the 5th over the score had reached 59 and Luke survived a close LBW appeal from Dilip. Dilip bowled a No Ball to Wez who scored one run and Luke took the free hit which was well caught one handed by Ed Khan at cover – unlucky. The 7th over saw more bad luck for BCCC as Wez was dropped again off Rhaul in the deep, however retribution was not far away, when in the next over Raj Khan removed Wez’s middle stump for 49, 70 for 1.
This brought Roshan to the crease, a debutant, who calmly picked singles whilst Luke clattered boundaries, but it was not long before Luke top-edge a slower ball to Aui, caught and bowled for 29, 89 for 2. This brought another debutant to the crease, Andre. A class all-rounder who also need some luck as he was dropped behind by the diminutive KK, who took the ball in the chest (ouch) but couldn’t hang on. The 10th over saw the score reach 98 as Andre continued to batter Aui and Dave Elder for a score of 44 in 22 balls. With just one ball to go before drinks, Roshan fell to Dave Elder, caught by Chopra at mid-on for 25, 157 for 3. After drinks with Jainish at the crease, the scoring rate continued at about 10 runs per over against Pramodh and Dave. Jainish was dropped twice, once by Dilip and once by Mak Khan.
Then the run rate slowed and wickets began to tumble as Ben Eastwell bowled his leg spinners. The first to go was Jainish on 182 for 4, stumped by KK for 22, with Andre going in the next over, bowled by Dave for 44, 182 for 5. It wasn’t long before Ben struck again. This time Hansie going for a duck at 186 for 6, caught and bowled, and it seemed like the wheels had fallen off, but Ben was not finished. Trevor Moolman was making steady progress against Dilip and Ben, but Terry Conrad was struggling and he too was stumped by KK for 4 in the 22nd over at 194 for 7.
Ben finished with 4 overs, 3 for 20. But the game was not finished and Habby Singh had a brief appearance before he fell LBW to a full toss from Dilip at 199 for 8. Andy Emery made a quick 12 from 9 balls before he played the wrong line to a ball from Ed Khan and lost his middle stump, 215 for 9. Trevor and Salman Khan completed the 25th over not out for 14 and 1 respectively for a final score of 220 for 9. BCCC had dropped 5 catches and those batsmen went on to make 144 runs. Hard to win matches if you can’t hold catches.
BCCC would have to play well to chase down 221 for a win and they started by sending in Rhaul and Ben to open against Andre’s fiery pace. Salman was wicket keeping but found the pace too hot to handle as he dropped a low outside edge and let a wide go down the legside for 5, but Andre salvaged the over by cartwheeling Rahul’s leg stump for a duck, the first of 6 which included 2 golden ducks. Mak Khan took the crease as Ben faced Terry’s pace. 3 dots were followed by a fierce backfoot drive to point as Andy Emery plucked it from the air above his head with nonchalant ease.
Ben trudged off for 1 and 2 for 7 in the 2nd over. The next 2 overs saw 11 runs added, 6 of which were extras and a few singles to Aui who had replaced Ben. Salman dropped an inside edge from Mak off Andre and he removed from keeping duties to be replaced by Trevor Moolman. The 5th over saw the carnage continue as Andre had a wicket maiden where he induced Aui into another backfoot drive to point which Andy gobbled up. Aui went for BCCC’s second highest score of their innings, 4, and the visitors were in deep do-do at 19 for 3. It got worse. Habby Singh bowled the 6th over and bowled Mak for 2 and next ball had Captain Promodh LBW for a golden duck. This put Habby on a hat-trick ball which he wasted with 2 wides!! He got fined for that. BCCC were now 19 for 5 after 6 overs and an early tea was looking likely.
KK was providing stubborn resistance with good defensive shots but not adding to scoreboard. Ed Khan faced Jainish’s first over, the 7th, and hoisted a solid 6, the only boundary of the BCCC innings, before he was bowled next ball for 6, 27 for 6. Dilip entered the fray whilst KK gave Habby a maiden over and then Jainish had a good over with just 2 wides. The BCCC scorecard was about to fall off the cliff again. Habby bowled the 10th over with Dilip being his first victim, caught and bowled for 3 from a scorching drive that was heading for the umpire’s head (not again I thought to myself – it bloody hurt last time).
Dave Elder sauntered out but only to be plumb LBW for a golden duck, but the hat-trick eluded Habby again. 32 for 8 from 10 overs. Andy bowled next and had KK caught first ball at mid-on by a superb catch by Luke Stokes, running at full speed with his long arms outstretched. Nitin entered as the last man and after a dot ball to get his eye in, he was bowled by Andy and the match ended after 10.3 overs with BCCC all out for 32, 16 of which were extras. An unexpected result, but a very satisfying for PCC and Wez in his last match. Wez, thanks a million for your contribution to PCC and captaincy, we wish you well. PCC retained the Dunford-Philbrook Trophy and BCCC went home to have a serious discussion with themselves.
PCC would like to thank their supporters and their sponsors, the Outback Sports Bar, The Magic Bar, Ahern Bar and the PSC for their assistance and support. If anyone wishes to come to watch, we are at Horseshoe Point most Sundays, the programme can be found on the Bangkok Cricket League website under Division A. Anyone that wishes to play should contact the Chairman, details of which are on the PCC webpage.
