Sunday 7th July 2013 at Entrecasteaux, Entrecasteaux CC vs Beausoleil CC

On a hot and balmy day Clifford Gregory, in a rare moment of inspiration, called correctly at the toss and had no hesitation in asking his openers Glen Burrell (46) and Andy Fife (36) to don their pads. They had to face Baldev (7-0-38-1) from the football pitch end and Pardeep (3-0-10-1). In a concentrated and controlled manner they started to build a partnership, striking anything wayward to the boundary. The 50 run partnership was reached in the 10th over and thereafter Burrell in particular became more expansive.

With a huge straight six he was within reach of his 50 when he hesitated in calling for a run to a fiercely struck ball to extra cover which cost him his wicket as he scrambled to the bowlers end. The partnership had reached 80 and with such a foundation the setting was perfect for the next entrant to the fray – Chaminda Perera (57).  In exhibition style he cut and pulled and drove the ball to every boundary. To such an extent that by the time Fife was out, bowled by Kalith (7-0-67-1) when attempting to cut a ball which kept low, they had made a partnership of 62, with Chaminda contributing 39 and Fife only 11.

With the total now on 142 and 19 overs having been bowled Entrecasteaux must have been hoping for a total close to 300 and although Philip Batchelor (25), Roshan Perera (10) and Shalana Karunarathnage (18) tried, they all succumbed to being caught whilst trying to chase for the runs. Yoges (7-0-50-2) had proved the most successful bowler as he caused the batsmen to mistime their strokes and so offer the catches which the Beausoleil fielders held in a reliable fashion.

Entrecasteaux’s fifth wicket had fallen in the 27th over but Gregory (0), clean bowled by Trevor (3-0-26-1), Bill Perceval Maxwell (2), run out whilst ball watching, Kavi (5) caught off the bowling of Charles (2.3-0-8-1) and young Yannick Perera (0 not out) could make little addition to the total against some accurate bowling from Kalith, Charles and Trevor. Consequently Entercasteaux’s innings closed on 233.

By this time dark and ominous looking clouds had gathered overhead and with lightening and thunder around and about it looked as though there may have been an unsatisfactory conclusion to the match. As it was Beausoleil’s openers Roshan(60) and Baldev(9) came out to face the fierce opening attack of Roshan Perera (7-0-31-0) and Clifford Gregory (5-0-13-3). The batsmen were going for their runs if the opportunity was offered and it was in trying to force the ball that Baldev was deceived by the pace of Gregory’s delivery and spooned a simple catch back to the bowler.

Gregory gave way to Chaminda (7-0-42-2) from the garden house end and despite wickets continuing to fall the runs began to accumulate. Yoges (13) was caught when he skied one into the ever safe hands of Gregory at mid-on and Ubaynath (13) was well caught behind the wicket by Philip Batchelor, both off the bowling of Chaminda.

Glen Burrell (4-0-14-2) claimed  the wickets of Kalisha (23) and Somnath (14) to catches again taken by the ubiquitous Gregory  and although an unlikely win had seemed a vague possibility for the visitors the main batting force had now been removed. Fife (5-0-43-1) had  bowled Roshan with a ball that moved off the pitch and straight through the gate but is congratulated for his 60, against a useful bowling attack, against which he had defended his wicket well and attacked whenever he could with some imaginative strokes.

Yannick Perera (0.5-0-1-1) had the great honour to claim the last wicket when Charles (0) top edged the ball into the juggling hands of Batchelor. Beausoleil had scored 172 runs which included 40 extras (too many although our captain was bemused) and so were beaten by 61 runs.

Team: Gregory, Batchelor, Perera C., Perera Y., Perera R., Burrell, Kavi, Karunarathnage, Perceval-Maxwell, Fife

10 juillet 2013Permalink