Alan Parkhouse
The Nation
Chiang Mai

[CRICKET] There were some thrilling matches yesterday at the Chiengmai
Gymkhana Club as the annual Chiang Mai International Cricket Sixes moved
towards the business end of the tournament after five days of competition.
Two of the best matches yesterday were between the Marchwiel Outlaws of
Australia/UK and Australia’s Lords Taverners, which was won by the Taverners
after the game went right down to the wire.

The other match of the day was between Dubai/UAE team Darjeeling and
England’s Yes No Wait Sorries, with the Englishmen getting a win after some
sensational hitting.

The Yes No Wait Sorries look to be in top form this year, but are expected to run
into stiff opposition from veteran Australian team the Perth Postels, who they
meet in today’s quarter-finals in the premier Cup division.

The Perth Postels are celebrating their 10th year at the tournament and are
planning a big party tonight, so if they do make it through to Saturday’s final
there could be some doubts over their fitness.

Also into the quarter-finals of the Cup are Bangladesh team Cricketeers and
Bahrain’s Alawi Taverners, along with the Gloucestershire Gipsies of England
and another English side, the Surry Vagrants.

Chiang Mai regulars the Moonshine Warathais from Newcastle, Australia, have
had a good tournament both on and off the pitch and are through to the quarter-
finals of the Shield division and face the MBMG Dilettantes, another Aussie team,
in today’s crunch match to see who makes the final.

With former Aussie Test player Trevor Chappell and the rest of the Moonshine
Warathais in good touch, today’s quarter-final promises to be a close match.
Bangkok-based team the Southerners are also through to the Shield quarter-
finals and will take on Darjeeling in their first match today.

In the Bowl semi-final today, the Shanghai Dragons take on Malaysia’s Silver
State, while Almar CC of South Africa face England’s Ashwell Crusaders.

In the Spoon division, Halylt of England are looking good and will take on local
side the Gymkhana Cavaliers in today’s quarter-final.

One of the teams making their debut this year is the Tokyo Wombats, a side
made up of English, Aussie and Kiwi expats based in Japan, but their campaign
came to an end yesterday when they were knocked out by the Ashwell
Crusaders of England in the Bowl quarter-final after yet another close match
which was decided by one run.

The funds raised from this annual event, now in its 18th year, go towards
helping develop junior cricket in Chiang Mai schools and today a representative
from the giant Lotus-Tesco chain of stores will be at the Gymkhana Club grounds
to make a donation to junior cricket.

For full results and more information, visit the web site at
www.chiangmaisixes.com.

The action continues today with the finals tomorrow. Entry to the 107-year-old
Chiengmai Gymkhana Club is free and two more days of great cricket should
keep the large crowd entertained.