An excellent all round performance from Pattaya Cricket Club secured a comfortable victory over the league leaders Indorama CC last Sunday.
Winning the toss and electing to bat first on a bright and breezy morning at the magnificent Thai Polo Ground, PCC needed to get off to a strong start and the openers, Venky and Dan Nicholson, in the face of some very lively pace bowling, duly obliged with a disciplined opening stand of 71 runs from 13 overs.
Dan (25) was eventually caught at cover point and Venky (44) in the deep but the platform was set for a decisive push to a challenging total. The middle order perished attempting to maintain the run rate but Colin Clark (31), Paul Hack (12no) and Thomas Manoj (10no) ensured a competitive total of 146 for 5 was posted.
The experienced new ball partnership of Salman and Thomas bowled superbly and with exemplary control to make run scoring very difficult. Slowly the pressure mounted and eventually told as David Scott’s (3/15) left arm spin accounted for Vishnu (23), the very dangerous Dhiraj (2) who was caught splendidly in the deep by Alex McIness, and Harsh (0) who was caught by the PCC captain Simon Philbrook inches inside the boundary rope.
At this stage of the game the only major concern for the PCC team arrived in the form of a menacingly looking pit bull terrier dog who stopped play as he (and it certainly was a he) sauntered across the outfield as if he owned the place, reached the stumps at the batsman’s end and proceeded to mark his territory. No one was going to argue with his demonstration of territorial behaviour and play only recommenced after he had ambled to the food tent for presumably some afternoon tea.
PCC were now in total control and Hamza and John Speirs maintained the disciplined bowling to close out the visitors’ innings at 112 for 9 and record a win by 34 runs. Colin Clark was awarded the man of the match medal for his excellent 31 runs and invasive wicket keeping that included 3 lightning stumpings.
The win lifts PCC to second in the league with a game in hand over most teams as the half way stage of the season approaches.
This coming weekend PCC travel to Chiang Mai to play in a four team tournament over 2 days and the next league game is the week after on Sunday Feb 22 at home at the Thai Polo Ground.
PCC would like to thank the support of the Pattaya Sports Club and encourage anyone who enjoys cricket to contact the club via its website: www.pattayacricket club.com or visit the club Facebook page.
