As a somewhat willful child 'growing' up in Tasmania, Australia, every time I did something which my older siblings, parents, teachers, priests - the whole cart-load of them - considered anti-social, I would be admonished by a tired old cliche: "that's not cricket, you know!"

Well, just last week in Chiang Mai, at the Cup finals of the sixteenth edition of the "Chiang Mai International Cricket Sixes and the Fourth Sawasdee Cricket Cup", the British team, the Gloucestershire Gipsies did sometthing that was "just not cricket, you know" - they administered a thrashing to the Aussies - West Australian team Lord's Taverners, thereby winning the premier group, the Cup Division. After suffering humiliating defeats at the hands of the Aussies in the big Test Match arenas for decades, the British redeemed ancient glories, albeit in the limited confines of the Chiengmai Gymkhana Club.

It was the sweet smell of success (revenge?) from another perspective, too. At the 2002 Sixes, the Gipsies lost the title by just one run to the Aussie Taverners in the Cup final.Elsewhere, in the Bowl final, the Aussies were back on track, with the
Newcastle, N.S.W. team, the Warathais, in their sixth appearance at Chiang Mai, knocking out South Africa's consistently-performing Almar Cricket Club.

Veteran Australian test cricketer Trevor Chappell, who took over the captaincy of the Warathais from Steve Christie who was indisposed, clearly showed his experience and ability in both batting and bowling, leading the team to victory. His shock of gray hair was a false signal: he was agile, quick and sure, slamming 31 not out in the final and taking some 'juicy' Almar wickets on the way.

Not only on the pitch did the Warathais perform well either: at the traditional fancy-dress parade held at the "Pig Picking" night at the Gymkhana Club, they walked off with the best-un(dressed) prize.

The Plate final was won by the B.A. Dragons from Wales, by beating the Malaysian Silver State , with a 'little help from their friends' on both sides: former Sri Lankan test cricketers, Amal Silva scoring 34 not out and Roshan Mahanama, 35 not out, for the B.A Dragons and Silver State, respectively.

Home town teams fought out the Spoon Final, with, appropriately, the host club, the Gymkhana Cavaliers downing the Gang Green United Nations Irish Pub, after which BOTH teams downed un-countable Heineken 'greens'.

The ladies slogged it out and again the perennial winners, the Chiang Mai Chassies, retained their title, beating the the World Woman's All Stars Dixie Belles, in spite of a lucrative bounty on the heads of the Chassies team and in spite of - or, maybe in this case, because of - bottles of champagne ensconced behind the wickets.

The traditional Stars Challenge, comprising the 'Rest of the World Stars' and a Sri Lankan team, saw the former triumph.

The Juniors who, in this reporter's opinion, have improved phenomenally since last year, especially in their fielding - and enthusiasm - reached the big time this year.

For the first time, they played on the central pitch (Wimbledon's Centre Court?), with the hard ball and all the gear of the big people. The Southerners' proteges - the 11-year-olds from Bangkok schools - beat their Chiang Mai counterparts narrowly by a score of 193 to 190 (using Sawasdee Cricket pairs scoring system). Meanwhile in the 4th Chiang Mai Sawasdee Cup competition proper , Prince Royal's College were winners of the Grade 6 Division, while Wat Rong Or, San Pee Sua school won the Grade 5 Division.

Finally, at the Awards dinner on Saturday night, Keith Mustow was named 'Player of the Finals' and Damian O'Hara, the Lord's Taverners' captain, was elected 'Player of the Tournament'.

One of the side-benefits, arising from the Sixes, was the annual visit to the Mckean Hospital Rehabilitation Center, to deliver food for the inmates suffering from leprosy. It was, indeed, a most moving visit which three of us attending the Chiang Mai Sixes made - Hilary Neve (Match Steward), Peter Gray (Umpire) and this correspondent. Set in beautiful tree-lined areas and following the contours of a river, the serenity and peace of the environment gives these unfortunates some happiness in their difficult lives. It was, indeed, a moving experience.

Hilary Neve, as usual, swam 100 lengths of the pool to raise money for the Sawadsdee Cricket. It is a tremendous effort and deserving of the highest praise. I pondered that I can barely drive that far, without a rest or a coffee break, at least.

Also, as is traditional, each team - and, of course, those worthy gentlemen of the press corps - is assigned a guide. And, each year, an incredible bevy of Chiang Mai beauties comes forward. All, again, at the 2003 event, were beautiful. BUT, 'Niu', unluckily (for her) attached to the representatives of the Fourth Estate, was exceptional. She was, in a word, orgeous. One gentleman, who, of course, must remain anonymous, was so mesmerized with our guide, that he barely watched the cricket. To protect his confidentiality, suffice to say that he was the oldest and, thus, according to the other three, has less
time left to see such beauty!

Tournament Director Maurice Bromley was most grateful for sponsorship of Heineken, the Tourism Authority of Thailand and the many other sponsors and helpers who make the event not just possible, but highly enjoyable. With Renita Bromley "counting the beans" , Rick Davis running a daily titillating commentary, as well as the eagerly-anticipated Quizz Night and Geoff Thompson taking care of the publications, it is no wonder that so many keep returning to Chiang Mai.

See you next year in Chiang Mai for the Seventeenth. Is it too much to hope that the press will have 'Niu' again?

Picture Captions (actual pictures will be available soon)

1. Some of the Sixes action: Sri Lanka belts a four

2. The Cup winners 2003, with Khun Surapong Sukkanasilp, Chairman,
Chiengmai Gymkhana Club (far left) and Syed Ashraful Huq, Chief
Executive, Asian Cricket Council

3. Syed Ashraful Huq, Chief Executive, Asian Cricket Council presents the
Sawasdee Award to Bangkok's Prince Royal's College, the Southerners Sports Club

4. The Sawasdee cricketers, with coaches, supporters and Sixes Tournament
Manager, Maurice Bromley (far right)

5. The beautiful guides enjoy their newly-won fame in the "Chiang Mai Mail"

6. Kim Fletcher's proteges: the Shenanigan's IOS Malakas

7. Pattaya's finest: the Pectel 69ers

8. Sawasdee Cricket in action

9. Sawasdee Cricket up a notch: main oval, the hard ball and the equipment

10. The scorers: a vital link in the tournament

11. The Wombat's mascot: too much "Famous Grouse" made him crazy

12. The staff and Sixes managers at the Mckean Rehabilitation Center
- resident Australian medic, Dr. Trevor Smith (3rd right)

13. The patients at Mckean pray for us

14. The Chiang Mai Chassies and the Dixie Belles fight it out:
Note the bottle of champagne behing the wicket!

15. Tournament Director Maurice Bromley (L) with scoring specialist and
junior cricket supporter, Peter Dawson

16. L. to R.: Witty commentator Rick Davis, Tournament Director Maurice
Bromley and Umpire Tony Goughter