Jim Hawker, Chiang Mai

English side Gloucestershire Gipsies were celebrating at the Gymkhana Club after clinching a deserved Cup victory and extracting revenge on Western Australians Lord's Taverners as the 16th Chiang Mai International Sixes ended with an exciting finals day.

The Gipsies, beaten by Lord's Taverners by one run in last year's thrilling Cup final, made no mistake as they lived up to their tag as favourites, with star batsman Keith Mustow playing a leading role in both semi-final and final.

After Mustow had hit 30 not out in the semi-final as the Gipsies easily disposed of 1999 winners Perth Postels, he repeated the heroics in the final with another superb knock, this time making 31 not out which included two massive sixes.

The Taverners, who also had a surprisingly easy semi-final win over local favourites Out of Africa, batted first in the final and were indebted to their outstanding captain Damian O'Hara who contributed a superb cameo knock of 30 out of their total of 61-3.

Both last year and this, the Taverners have proved adept at defending a relatively-small total, but Mustow came out with all guns blazing and by the time he had reached the mandatory retirement mark, the Gipsies - who went through the tournament unbeaten with seven wins out of seven - were almost home and dry.

Fittingly it was captain Paul Lazenbury who steered them home to victory in the last over with a beautifully-timed knock of 27 not out and so at the third attempt the powerful Gipsies were able to lift the Cup. At the Awards dinner, Mustow was named Player of the Finals while O'Hara - who had shone with bat and ball all week - was named Player of the Tournament.

The Bowl final produced popular winners in tournament stalwarts the Warathais from Newcastle, Australia. The sociable New South Welshmen, who over the last six years in Chiang Mai had always threatened much but had never won anything apart from this year's Fancy Dress crown, were too good on the day for South Africans Almar.

Former Australian Test and one-day international Trevor Chappell, who took over as captain of the Warathais from Steve Christie halfway through the tournament and then went unbeaten as skipper, showed his class and experience in both semi-final and final.

In their semi-final win over English side Jack Frost, Chappell bowled a crucial tight fourth over which brought him two wickets from the first two balls, and then in the final he hit a cultured 31 not out as the Warathais made 76-1.

Despite a fine knock of 31 not out from former Zimbabwe Test player Neil Johnson, Almar were always behind the clock in their reply against some fine bowling from Chappell and Ian Liddell and finished 16 runs short of their target.

The Plate went to the B.A. Dragons from South Wales who beat Malaysians Silver State. Both sides were helped by their former Sri Lankan Test stars, the consistent Amal Silva scoring an unbeaten 34 out of Sliver State's 69-1 and then Roshan Mahanama hitting 35 not out as B.A. Dragons knocked off the runs.

The all-Chiang Mai Spoon final was won by the host team, the Gymkhana Cavaliers who defeated Gang Green Un Irish Pub. It was notable for a hat-trick by the Cavaliers' Bill Beasley, two bowled and one stumped, and Beasley picked up a special award for his feat at the final dinner. Other highlights of a superb day's cricket, watched by a large and
enthusiastic crowd, were the Stars Challenge in which Kenny Jackson's Rest of the World Stars beat the Sri Lankans and the women's match in which the Chiang Mai Chassies held onto their crown against the World Women All-Stars Dixie Belles.

The entertaining Sawasdee Challenge final saw a team of 11-year-old Thai youngsters from Bangkok schools post a narrow victory over a team from Chiang Mai schools.

As ever, the week of the Sixes provided superb entertainment on and off the pitch and the Awards dinner paid tribute to the many volunteers without whom the tournament could not function, including committee members, scorers, umpires and guides, all helmed by tournament director Maurice Bromley and wife Renita along with main co-ordinator and commentator Rick Davis.

RESULTS

Cup - Final:

• Gloucestershire Gipsies 64-1 (Keith Mustow 31 n.o., Paul Lazenbury 27 n.o.) beat Lord's Taverners 61-3 (Damian O'Hara 30)

Semi-finals:

• Gloucestershire Gipsies 47-0 (Keith Mustow 30 n.o.) beat Perth Postels 43-2
• Lord's Taverners 71-2 (Damian O'Hara 26) beat Out of Africa 51-3

Bowl - Final:

• Warathais 76-1 (Trevor Chappell 31 n.o.) beat Almar 61-2 (N.Johnson 31 n.o.)

Semi-finals:

• Warathais 70-1 (Steve Christie 26 n.o.) beat Jack Frost 60-3 (Tim Klimcke 25)
• Almar 82-4 beat Kiteboys 81-0 (Jonno Seifman 35 n.o., Carman Mapatane 27 n.o.)

Plate - final:

• B.A. Dragons 70-1 (Roshan Mahanama 35 n.o.) beat Sliver State 69-1 (Amal Silva 34 n.o.)

Spoon - final:

• Gymkhana Cavaliers 70-1 (R.Abbott 18 n.o.) bt Gang Green Un Irish Pub 61-5 (Craig Waddell 21; Bill Beasley 3-2)

Stars Challenge:

• Rest of the World Super Stars 76-5 (Kim Barnett 22 n.o.) beat Sri Lankan Stars 62-3 (Amal Silva 22, Carman Mapatane 22)