Match report Entrecasteaux CC vs Beausoleil CC – Sunday 20th April 2014 at Entrecasteaux

Entrecasteaux return to winning formula

Having played 2 and lost 2 it was important for Entrecasteaux to find that winning way which had seemed such a formality last season and this they did in emphatic style on a cold and breezy April day. Perhaps it was the return of such luminaries as Uddika Bandaranayake and Eddie Bishop, injecting some backbone into the team, but as ever in this intriguing game, it was a more concentrated all round performance which proved the undoing of an almost unchanged Beausoleil team who had beaten Entrecasteaux comfortably just two weeks earlier.

Beausoleil had chosen to bat and they were immediately subjected to a hostile and destructive opening spell of 4 overs from Cliff Gregory from his preferred Garden House end in which he claimed three wickets. Finding bounce and pace he had both Yoges and Baldev caught behind at the wicket by an alert Bishop and then yorked batsman number 3. From the other end Glen Burrell, in more erratic fashion, did produce a beauty and clean bowled batsman number 5. With Anthony Slack, Chaminda Perera and Bandaranayake also claiming a wicket a piece, and the retirement of another batsman with a muscle strain, Beausoleil were reeling and Gregory was able to introduce the youngsters to the fray. Both Yannick Perera and Tom Slack claimed wickets, it was Tom’s first wicket for the club and although he needs to keep practicing we can be sure that it will be the first of many to come. Yannick is developing into a useful bowler and his 2 wickets were well deserved. We also saw 10 year old Ethan Bandaranayake play his first game for Entrecasteaux and it looks as though his father has been coaching the young man – very correct he was in getting his body behind the ball when fielding at long leg.

Beausoleil’s innings therefore closed with a total of 91 runs. A short lunch break was taken as rain threatened before Burrell and Bishop opened for the home team. Bishop(4) was caught in the slips from a shot which suggested the batsman was somewhat out of practice. Burrell (26) at the other end looked in masterful form before being run out in what was rather a sloppy demonstration of running between the wicket. Chaminda (53 not out) called him for a run to third man and Burrell, who by this time had decided he intended to make it a 9 wicket victory, went for the run. However a very smart piece of fielding by the third man saw the wickets broken with a direct hit and umpire Mike Lomax did not hesitate in raising his finger.  It being Burrell’s call, for a shot behind square, he should in hind sight have refused the run.

There was to be no respite for Beausoleil as this brought Bandaranayake(10 not out) to the crease and with Chaminda starting to see footballs being bowled the Beausoleil total was reached with consummate ease as the rain started to fall in earnest.

Entrecasteaux therefore won by 8 wickets, let us hope that those winning ways are here to stay. Very many thanks to Mike Lomax and Maurice Mitchem for umpiring and on behalf of the club we send Ann Mitchem, who is in hospital today for an operation, our most sincere wishes for a speedy and complete recovery.

Entrecasteaux: Gregory C., Perera C., Burrell, Bandaranayake U., Bishop E., Slack A., Shan S., Slack T., Perera Y., Bandaranayake E., Fife A.

Umpires: M. Mitchem, M. Lomax

 

6 mai 2014Permalink