by Peter Cummins

Cricket found a new 'Guru' yesterday at the Chiang Mai International Cricket Sixes, being played out at the superb 104-year-old Chiengmai Gymkhana Club. As the fifteenth annual cricket fest reached the half-way point yesterday, the 'Guru' to appear was Sri Lankan All Star batsman, Ruchina Palliyaguru who swept a ball into the Castrol banner mounted above the field's eastern side, thus becoming only the second player of the tournament to win the "Castrol big Six Challenge", of Baht 3,000, with a further Baht 2,000 donated by Castrol for the advancement of Sawasdee Cricket, fostering the sport among Thai youngsters. The other conquerer of the 'Castrol Everest' was Alistair Field of the Lords Taverners.

The last game of the day between the Slammers and the Nomads proved to be one of the best of the tournament, with a narrow, three-run advantage by the Nomads, tilting the final group placings.

At press time the three categories, Cup, Bowl and Plate, were still being finalized.

The Reich Company again provided the well-organized bus fleet, each adorned with the banner of its respective team and each bus complete with a lovely Chiang Mai lady as a guide: she was often about a third of the size of an individual cricketer but she had the who;e situation under control: little or not! The cricketers to a man, adored their respective guides!

RESULTS

CUP, BOWL, PLATE GROUPS

• Southerners 75-0 (James Moss, Graeme Pity 30 each ret.) beat CMW Warriors
  44-4
• Almar CC 72-2 (Ruchina Palliyaguru 32 ret.) beat Ashwell Crusaders
  69-1 (Mike Gatting 31 ret.)
• Shanghai Steinlager Cavaliers 53-1 beat Drifters 48-0
• Warbler Bunny Club 54-0 beat HALYLT 53-2
• Sri Lankan Allstars 70-2 (Saman 31 ret.} beat World Allstars 69 -4
• Kelawar CC 74-2 (L. Fernando 30 ret.) beat Ashwell Crusaders 71-4 (Mike Gatting 31 ret.,Rizzing 34 ret.)
• Nomads 58-0 (Simon 31 ret.) beat Darjeeling 57-0
• Lord Taverners 68-3 (Linz 32 ret.) beat Lysaght Southerners 62-4
• Perth Pectels 76-0 (Kenny Jackson 32 ret.) beat Kelawar CC 65-2
• Nomads 85-1 (Simon 35 ret.) beat Slammers 82-0 (M. Pringle 35 ret.).

SPOON

• Gymkhana Cavaliers 52-2 beat Pattaya Pectels 69 50-1
• Bangkok Postels 46-5 beat Irish Pub Gang Green 31-3
• Pectels 69 41-1 beat Bangkok Postels 40-4
• Wombats 72-1 (Ken Dashwood 33 ret.) beat IOS Malakos 49-2
• IOS Malakos 49-1 beat Irish Pub Gang Green 48-1
• Pattaya Pectels 69 62-0 beat IOS Malakas 42-0