Entrecasteaux vs Beausoleil CC, Sunday May 7th 2017, played at Entrecasteaux
On a bright, windy day Entrecasteaux entertained Beausoleil and in winning the toss Chaminda Perera was able to score the first of his victories over his brother in law, Kavinda Karunarathnage, Beausoleil’s captain. In sending out Tom Slack (0) and Yannick Perera (2) to open the batting he introduced these two young guns to the firing line at rather an earlier stage of the proceedings to what they are used to and they did not last long. Slack being bowled by Ubeynath (5-0-18-3) on the last ball of the first over, and Perera being bowled on the first ball of Ubeynath’s next over.
With Brad Edwards (45) coming to the crease the haemorrhage was stemmed and he was joined by Sahan Hewa (2) who looked a little rusty in his first match of the season and indeed he was Ubeynath’s third victim. Anthony Slack (5) now joined Edwards but not for long as he spooned a simple catch to mid off from the bowling of Parnow (7-0-27-2) who produced some pace coming down wind from the football pitch end. At 38 for 4 ECC were in trouble but with Chaminda Perera(86) coming to the crease the home side had reason to be optimistic.
Still the going was slow with the first boundary of the match coming in the tenth over, this partly due to accurate bowling and tight fielding, and partly due to the rather long grass in the outfield. Drinks were taken after 17 overs and the total had only progressed to 56 runs but with the resumption of play both batsmen knew they had to up the anty and with the introduction of Baldev (3-0-20-0) from the football pitch end Edwards immediately saw his opportunity, striking the ball to the boundary consecutively. Runs started to flow and the partnership had reached 36 when Chaminda called for a single and then sent Edwards back. Beausoleil were quick to whip off the bails and Edwards had to return to the pavilion. Fife (10) was caught and bowled by Roshan (6-0-29-2) and there was then a sequence of batsmen who joined Chaminda. First McDonald(1), bowled by Roshan, Coates (1) run out again after being called for a single by his captain, the venerable Sir Leonard Terry (0), clean bowled first ball (quack,quack) by Pranow and finally Michael Howarth (1 n.o), carrying his bat after Chaminda was ajudged leg before wicket on the penultimate ball of ECC’s innings. Chaminda’s impressive and forceful score of 86 runs was vital but it must also be said that he was dropped on no fewer than 5 occasions and he did run two of his own batsmen out.
Still it had enabled ECC to reach the respectable total of 169 runs which after a half time score of 56 runs wasn’t so bad. David Coates (5-0-18-1) opened for the home side and was joined in the attack by Sahan Hewa (5-0-20-0) from the Garden House end. Coates dismissed Roshan (4) with a ball which crept under his bat going on to hit the stumps which brought Baldev (35) to the crease to join Yoges (28). They batted well and kept the scoreboard ticking over, seeing off not only the opening bowlers but also Edwards (6.4-1-21-2) in his first spell. Finally Yoges fell when he struck Anthony Slack (3-0-15-1) from the Garden House end to mid wicket and Sahan Hewa was on hand to bucket the ball.
Shalana Karunarathnage (20) then joined Baldev and the pair continued in forceful fashion hitting the ball to all parts of the ground and it seemed that BCC were cruising to victory. There then occurred that rather peculiar and special moment in a game of cricket when the whole balance of the game shifted quite dramatically. Yannick Perera (3-0-24-1) had Baldev well caught by Coates at extra cover and his father (1-1-0-2) had his two brothers in law, first Shalana and then Kavinda (0) bowled in the same over. This may not have been a good idea as he had been given a lift to the match by Kavinda – history does not relate how or whether he ever got home but for the greater glory of ECC he had produced a match winning over.
A newcomer to the ECC playing staff was seen from the Garden House end, one James McDonald (3-0-24-1) who had not played for two or three years; he was able to claim the wicket of Dhamika (3), clean bowled, and will surely improve with time. Tom Slack (2-0-20-1) had Janith (2) caught, again by Coates in the covers but still with Pranow Dabral (25 n.o) looking strong and forceful BCC were closing on the total. Someone needed to stay with him but this was not to be as Brad Edwards took the last two BCC wickets, Tyron (4) leg before wicket, and Ubeynath (0) bowled in the 31st over with just 7 runs required for victory. That BCC’s squad consisted of 10 men proved to be a telling factor. That ECC gave 42 runs in extras cannot not be mentioned, and likewise Tom Slack’s Herculean efforts at long leg in fielding the vast majority of these extras – well done Tom.
ECC won by 6 runs.
ECC: Chaminda Perera, Yannick Perera, Brad Edwards, Anthony Slack, Tom Slack, Sahan Hewa, James McDonald, David Coates, Len Terry, Michael Howarth, Andy Fife
Maurice Mitchem – umpire