MATCH REPORT

Match report – Entrecasteaux CC vs Chaminda Perera’s XI

Sunday 5th May 2013

A new and welcome addition to our fixtures list when Chaminda Perera brought a team that he had assembled from friends and colleagues from Cannes to play a strong looking Entrecasteaux XI, that even numbered a reserve, Tom Slack, who had to don his whites half way through the visitors innings, of which more later.

Captain Clifford Gregory again lost the toss and Chaminda, with a threatening looking cloud cover, had no hesitation in asking his openers to ready themselves for batting. It was odd to see the smiling Shalana Karunarathnage in opposition colours confidently striding to the crease and had our wicket keeper been awake for the first ball of the day Karunarathnage’s smile would have been wiped from his face as he received the kind of welcome from his usual captain that even Bob Willis would have been proud of – but alas the chance was spilled.

Karunarathnage went on to be the visitors top scorer with an innings of 27 forcefully striking the ball whenever the opportunity presented itself until he finally fell to a well taken catch by Uddika Bandaranayake in the covers off the bowling of Anthony Slack in the 12th over of the innings.

Gregory returned some sound figures (4-2-11-1) which included a wicket maiden when he bowled Gayan for a duck in his second over but wanting others to bowl had taken himself off after only 4 overs . He had been assisted, somewhat erratically, by club newcomer Robbie Lange from New Zealand, who having loosened up was starting to look more of a force when he too was replaced in the fourth over.

Dight Everton and Anthony Slack had taken up the mantle of bowling – Everton (6-0-26-0) from the Garden House End was consistent but with Karunarathnage now joined by Chaminda Perera anything wayward was duly dispatched. Slack from the other end caused the batsmen some problems with cunning use of flight and speed in his deliveries.

With Chaminda at the crease, Gregory set the trap for one of his favourite strokes – the pull of anything short to backward square leg. Mike Varley was brought in to guard this area and Bill Percival-Maxwell was brought into short midwicket to keep the singles down. Chaminda duly obliged and sent an exocet to Varley’s right which he very bravely  managed to reach but with nothing more than his finger tips behind the ball the velocity of the missile bent his fingers into awful contusions and he had to be taken to hospital with what looked like broken and dislocated fingers.

But it was from the other end where Chaminda met his downfall. A well struck on drive slowed quickly in the outfield and Everton was able to grab the ball and break the wicket. Umpire Mike Lomax was questioned and as the batsman had not grounded his bat he reluctantly raised his finger – much to the delight of the home team. Chaminda run out for 20 – a let off.

By this time David Coates had taken to turning his left arm round the wicket from the Football Pitch end and it was to be the undoing of the visitors. With guile and deception he trapped and tricked the batsmen ending with figures of 3-0-11-3 as the opposition tried to score runs in their ever diminishing allotment of overs. Kalith (21) and Anura (11) were the only other batsmen to reach double figures and at the end of their 30 overs Chaminda Perera’s XI had scored a total of 109 runs for the loss of 8 wickets.

With the clouds threatening a quick lunch was taken and Glen Burrell and Andy Fife were sent out to do the job. Fife wasted no time and had scored a rapid 18 when he fiercely struck a ball to mid off where the catch was uncomfortably but well taken by Chaminda. Slack joined Burrell, who had started slowly, but as time went on so did his daring. He began to show his authority and class and must be considered as a very welcome addition to the Entrecasteaux batting line up. He was unbeaten on 55 when Entrecasteaux reached their target, his final shot being a six which tipped him over the 50 mark and won the game. Slack had helped with a robust 17 and Bandaranayake had a cameo role for once and was required only to score 3.

Thanks to Mike Lomax and Maurice Mitchem who nobly stood at the umpire’s crease all day. And what a pleasure it was to see stalwart club supporters – Bob and Jane Bartlett – thank you Bob for scoring – and especially Ian Mackintosh, who in his own words ‘was dead’ but was revived and is now looking much fitter.

Although the game ended in light rain Entrecasteaux had reached their target and won the match by 8 wickets.

13 mai 2013Permalink