by Peter Cummins, Chiang Mai

The Sixteenth Chiangmai International Cricket Sixes and the Fourth Chiang Mai Sawasdee Cricket Cup were "off and running" , so to speak, at the Chiengmai Gymkhana Club yesterday.

The Gloucestershire Gipsies were the ace team on the day, winning both their scheduled games in the Round Robin matches, while in the Spoon Division no clear leader has emerged after two days.

The opening ceremony was presided over by attractive Khun Aungkhana Pumpaka, Assistant Director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, Northern Office: Region 1, who addressed the 28 teams gathered at the Chiengmai Gymhhana Club. She then bowled what the long-standing Tournament Director Maurice Bromley called: "a mean ball, right on target", causing a very surprised batsman to grope to connect. The second ball was not that great, however, but at least it did remain in the playing field,

The junior division, where much attention is being given to training, sponsoring and encouraging Thai youngsters in the game, is due to start today, with some 12 schools competing , under the aegis of the Chiang Mai Schools Cricket Alliance, in two divisions: Grade Five and Lower and Grade Six.

It was a very wet afternoon on Sunday, for the Round Robin matches and, although the ground was still slippery, a hot day on Monday soon started to dry out the facilities. The Sixes and the Sawasdee will continue through the week, to close with the finals of the four senior divisions and the Cup finals for the juniors.

SriLankan Airlines, from a country which adores the game of cricket, is one of the principal
sponsors, flying in to Thailand someof their best cricketers to participate in the Sixes.
Heineken and Coca Cola are trying to quench the almost-insatiable thirst of the cricketers - a formidable task, especially for Heineken! Nestle, Dimon, the Chiang Mai Mail newspaper and a big number of Chiang Mai hostelleries and businesses are also supporting the Sixes.

Results:

• Gloucester Gipsies 81-0 (Keith Musto 29 n.o.) beat Silver State 46-2 (Amal
  Silva 23 n.o.)
• Darjeeling 56-2 (Mark Rowe 25 n.0.) beat Jack Frost (51-2)
• Kite Boys 103-0 (M. Mapatuna 35 n.o.) beat Javea Wanderers 53-2
• Gloucesrshire Gipsies 76-1 (Keith Musto 33 n.o.; Paul Lazenbury 26 n.o.) beat Lamma C.C. 50-1 (Gamini Silva 30 n.o.)
• Worcester Police 71-4 beat Yes-No-Wait-Sorries 42-0 (Rick Clark 25 n.0.)
• Darwin Dilettantes 76-1 (F. Atboy 33 n.o.; Gary Hancock 30, n.o) beat Silver State 57-1
• Daejeeling 67-2 lost to B.A. Dragons 68-1 (M. Pringle 35 n.o)
• Javea Wanderers 77-0 (L. Fernando 31 n.o.) beat DCC Bulls Brothers 67-2
• Warathais 58-2 (Steve Christie 28 n.o.) beat Worcester Police 42-3
• Warbler Bunny Club (with a vociferous followers camp) 51-3 beat Shanghai Steinlager Cavaliers 54-0 (G. Chatfield 32 n.0.)

SPOON

• Shenanigan's Los Malakas 59-1 beat Wombats 58-2
• Gang Green Irish Pub 61-1 beat Bangkok Postels 58-2.