The players of Patong and Lanna returned to the ground on Sunday not too worse for wear and able to contest a 12 aside 30-over match starting just after mid-day with hangovers and the outfield drying out nicely.
Patong again batted first but this time it was the ball which dominated the bat as 18-year-old Choo, who has been looked after by the Hill Tribe Fund over recent years and now is starting a career as a junior coach, bowled an outstanding opening spell of 6-0-21-3 and also claimed a run out to reduce Patong to 43 for four. Two of the wickets fell to catches behind the stumps by Bunchuaai who has already played for Thailand at under-16 level.
At 60 for 7 Patong looked unlikely to reach the hundred mark but their batting order may have to be reversed in future as the last three wickets almost doubled the score. Walter Persaud claimed the last two wickets as the home side was bowled out for 118 from 27.5 overs.
The run-rate required was less than four an over and Chiang Mai got off to another good start as Manesh Sadarangani who had played for Patong the previous day enjoyed facing his team-mates’ bowling and made an attractive 23 with four boundaries.
The visitors’ run-rate slowed against the spinners but Chris Coombes batting down the order after his heroics the day before again managed to top score with 28 even though it took him 69 minutes and 53 balls to do so.
When the captain was out with the score on 83 for 4, 36 more runs were needed from 7.3 overs, and Patong’s catching in the outfield was so brilliant that the home side even may have been favourites when the seventh wicket fell on 108.
But such was the generosity of Patong’s bowlers, as they kindly donated an average of one wide for every over during the weekend’s cricket, Chiang Mai just needed to keep calm and they had just the men for the job. Eddie Joyner finished unbeaten on 14 for the second day in a row but it was number nine Martin Papworth who stole the show by hitting a four and two twos to win the game.
Chiang Mai were victorious by three wickets with two overs to spare and so they retained the trophy that the two sides will be contesting each time they play. Such is the friendship generated when the cricketers from Patong and Chiang Mai meet it is hoped that this will be twice a year.
The tour ended with a fines session and vodka slammers at the ground followed by both teams again meeting up for an enjoyable night on the town and with everybody already looking forward to joining forces again in four months’ time.
Thanks to everyone at Patong CC for making the weekend such an enjoyable experience.