Jim Hawker, Chiang Mai

Defending Chiang Mai Sixes Cup champions Lord's Taverners used the same formula which brought them glory in 2002 to stay in the hunt for more success this year on the fourth full day of action at the Gymkhana Club. After losing their first match when the powerful Gloucestershire Gipsies extracted a measure of revenge for last year's Cup final defeat with a
thrilling victory with just two balls remaining, the Lord's Taverners faced a must-win game against Gipsies' stablemates, the Yes-No-Wait-Sorries. As in several games last year, the Lord's Taverners looked to fallen short of setting a decent target when they could manage only 63-2, despite the sterling efforts of captain Damian O'Hara who got them off to a flying start with a hard-hit 28.

But the men from Perth, Western Australia then did what they do best by bowling tightly and fielding superbly to restrict the dangerous Yes-No-Wait-Sorries batsmen - including former England player Kim Barnett and ex-Gloucestershire stalwart Andy Stovold - to just 47-2 from their five overs.

So the Taverners stayed alive, although they will have to sweat today on other results to see if they make it through to tomorrow's Cup semi-finals. Their earlier match against the Gipsies was, like last year's final, a fine game of Sixes cricket. The consistent Carrington Shepherd again scored heavily for the Taverners, making an unbeaten 31 out of 64-1 but the 2001 Player of the Tournament Paul Lazenbury scored 32 retired for the Gipsies as they clinched a narrow victory.

The local challenge for the Cup remained firmly on course as both Chiang Mai-based teams won their games yesterday. CMW Warriors made 73-1 with Basharat Wani hitting 30 not out as they beat Hong Kong side Lamma, for whom Sri Lankan veteran Gamini Silva scored 32 retired out of 72-0. Lamma were then unfortunate to come up against former South African Test player Meyrick Pringle in the last match of the day. Pringle bowled a tight over as the Out of Africa team restricted Lamma to 47-3 and then slammed three huge sixes in 35 retired as the local favourites easily reached their target.

Former champions Perth Postels, with the ever-consistent South African Kenny Jackson showing no ill-effects from his performance as a drag queen at Wednesday's night Fancy Dress party by scoring 28 not out, beat the Shangai Steinlager Caavaliers for whom Gary Chatfield once again starred with the bat, making an unbeaten 30.

The other Cup winners on the day were the Stairway to Heaven Drifters from England who had Paul Irons to thank for 35 not out out of 88-0 as they eased to victory over the Shanghai side.

In the Bowl, the Warathais - winners of Wednesday's Fancy Dress parade with a cheeky display of bare-faced boldness - produced a solid performance for captain-for-the-day Trevor Chappell, the former Australian international. Warren Pugh came up trumps for the side from Newcastle, Australia - hitting 31 not out and then taking a wicket as the Spanish-based Javea Wanderers failed to get near their target of 62 to win.

Other good individual performances of the day in the Bowl competition came from Brett Young, who hit an unbeaten 30 as Bangkok-based Southerners beat Darjeeling from Dubai, and Jonno Seifman who made 28 as the Kiteboys lost to Jack Frost and then a sparkling 32 not out as the young English side hammered an impressive 96-0 in their victory over DCC Bull's Brothers from Dubai.

RESULTS

Cup - Pool One:

• Gloucestershire Gipsies 65-1 (Paul Lazenbury 32 n.o.) beat Lord's Taverners 64-1 (Carrington Shepherd 31 n.o.)
• Lord's Taverners 63-2 (Damian O'Hara 28) beat Yes-No-Wait-Sorries 47-2

Cup - Pool Two:

• Perth Postels 58-2 (Kenny Jackson 28 n.o.) beat Shanghai Steinlager Cavaliers 57-3 (Gary Chatfield 30 n.o.)
• Stairway to Heaven Drifters 88-0 (Paul Irons 35 n.o) beat Shanghai Steinlager Cavaliers 45-4

Cup Pool Three:

• CMW Warriors 73-1 (Basharat Wani 31 n.o.) beat Lamma 72-0 (Gamini Silva 32 n.o)
• Out of Africa 48-0 (Meyrick Pringle 35 n.o) beat Lamma 47-3

Bowl - Pool One:

• Warathais 61-1 (Warren Pugh 31 n.o) beat Javea Wanderers 43-3

Bowl - Pool Two:

• Southerners 81-2 (Brett Young 30 n.o) beat Darjeeling 78-2 (Sidath Wettimuny 30 n.o.)

Bowl - Pool Three:

• Jack Frost 71-1 (Richard Pallett 33 n.o.) beat Kiteboys 70-2 (Jonno Seifman 28)
• Kiteboys 96-0 (K.Maputara 34 n.o., J. Seifman 32 n.o.) beat DCC Bull's Brothers 63-2

Plate:

• B.A. Dragons 57-1 (Roshan Mahanama 24 n.o.) beat Silver State 56-2 (Amal Silva 32 n.o)

Spoon:

• Gymkhana Cavaliers 41-0 beat Wombats 39-2
• Pectel 69ers 70-3 (Paul Cooper 26) beat Gang Green Un Irish Pub 50-2.