SOUTHERNERS SPORTS CLUB

Eight players…only six required.

BTS station identified…exit was not.

We played…we won.

Short words indeed to describe a great fun day of indoor cricket for the Southerners. After a little mix-up in the actual team numbers required, the Southerners got kitted up and Nadeem and Khun Lek sat out the first game.

Paul W lost the toss and was put into bat….what a mistake! With the great experience of Trent and Mehul, Southerners put on the runs….it was net-touch, run, net-touch, run, with Mehul getting a 6 and 4 (no small feat). The total was an awesome 100 for 6 in 11.2 overs, which was easily enough for us to secure the match.

While still recuperating from the wonderful win, the Southos went straight into their next match with Paul and Chicken sitting it out. Again we batted first, this time losing 3 wickets in the first 2 overs!!!! The pressure was on…but some fantastic batting from Zeb, Mehul, Faheem and Khun Lek helped us put on a very respectable 88.

The other team then chased…small mistakes really cost you in indoor cricket, with wides worth 2 runs (the Southos gave a lot away)…it was like Xmas! But after some superb bowling and catching by Faheem, the opposition fell, as others have fallen, and the Southos won with heads high and spirits and singha beers all round. See you next weekend!

Words: Paul Williams

The Southerners’ last round of the 2011 20/20 Tournament saw them pitted against the age and experience of the British Club.

On a wet and soggy morning at Harrow, both teams decided to get a start on the field (instead of the bar) and get on with the game – shortened run-ups were the order of the day.

Winning the toss and electing to bowl, the Southerners kept some tidy bowling and fielding against the British Club, who were comfortable at 3-59 at the 10-over break.

With the British Club’s skipper Vaughany back in the shed, the Southerners were thinking about early lunch. In came James Moss to change that. With a few wayward overs sent down by the Southerners bowlers and a few determined innings from the British Club’s old guard, the British Club finished their 20 overs at 7-158 with James Moss on 56 retired including 2 massive 6s off the last Jason Ellis over.

The Southerners set about the run chase with relative ease and at the break were 1-78, well in front of their target. Some tight overs by young Fergus Ellis, on loan for the day by the British Club, and a few too many dot balls by the Southerners batsman, saw the game come down to the wire, with Southerners requiring 4 off the last over to seal victory.

Skipper Graeme settled the sinking ship to steer them home with 2 balls to spare and leave the British Club team winless for the tournament.

Man of the Match was Madan from the Southerners for his 51 retired, also picking up the vital wicket of the British Club skipper!!!

Words: Vaughan McClear

Wins by Pattaya and Asia United both see them win their respective groups, catapulting them into the Siam Cup Final which will be played Sunday morning at Harrow School.

The Southerners had some nervous moments against the age and experience of the British Club to sneak home with 2 balls to spare, securing 2nd place in their group and a place in the Shield Final against United CC.

The Plate Final will be between Punjab and Chicha CC next week.

Despite some strong performances during the pool stages, the British Club will be looking for that elusive win against Siam CC in the Midas Touch Bowl Final.

Please see below for finals times:

SATURDAY 11^TH June @ Harrow International School

SIAM PARROTS CUP FINAL
Pattaya CC Vs Asia United (9.30 am)
Umpire – Vaughan

MIDAS TOUCH BOWL FINAL
British Club Vs Siam CC  (1.00 pm)
Umpire – TBA

SUNDAY 12^th June @ Harrow International School

BDS VIRCON SHIELD FINAL
United CC Vs Southerners (9.00am)
Umpire – Arif

SUNDAY 19^th June @ Harrow International School

BIG 6 PLATE FINAL
Chicha CC Vs Punjab CC (9.30am)
Umpire – Nadeem

Saturday morning saw the Southerners 20/20 team play Punjab CC for the first game of the annual Southerners’ 20/20 Competition. After a mixed Bangkok Cricket League season, the Southerners were keen to start afresh and get on the front foot, so to speak.

With Punjab winning the toss and electing to bat, the Southerners sent in Zeb to set the pace with the ball, then brought in some valuable spin bowling from Mehul. Varying the pace and height of the ball, the Southerners managed to take wickets regularly and restrict Punjab to 101 from 19.1 overs. Sneaky new South African import Mikey pinched 2/3 (3 overs), while Faheem also bowled excellently, with 3/8 (3 overs).

Coming out to bat, the Southerners’ openers Nadeem and Gaurav set about their task with confidence, playing the bad balls and finding gaps. They set the run chase well and the Southerners ended up capturing their target in 17.2 overs, with only two wickets down. Among the key scorers was Saffa Mikey, after some lovely, and not-so-lovely, boundaries (51 n.o. – retired) in a superbly timed partnership with Madan.

A great all-round effort from the team, some tight bowling and a well-paced chase. Congratulations to Mikey for his deserved Man of the Match award.

The Southerners 20/20 Tournament is back again with the main aim to raise money for our Southerners up in Petchabun so they can keep playing cricket. This year we will welcome new teams Pattaya, British Club and United to their first T20 competition and wish them all the best.

The tournament will run over four weekends (3 rounds + finals), thus a limited amount of teams are permitted – the Southerners will only be able to enter one team this year, so we will try to rotate a different team this year. The Southerners are the current Cup Winners from 2010 so let’s see if we can keep a hold of that for another year running.

Raising funds for Petchabun – Sponsorship

As mentioned, the main aim of the tournament is to raise some funds for junior cricket in Petchabun – if there are any potential sponsors interested in helping this tournament (cash or in-kind), please contact the Southerners cricket rep, Vaughan McClear for further details.

Thanks to our current sponsors:

Match Balls – Kindly sponsored by BIG 6 cricket equipment, who will also supply some cricket gear as end of tournament awards.
BDS Vircon Cup Final – Thanks to BDS Vircon for sponsoring the Cup Final.
Midas Touch Shield Final – Thanks to Manish Gupta from Chicha CC sponsoring the Shield Final.
The Colonel’s Man of Match Medals – Thanks to Dave Dufall for sponsoring all Man of The Match medals.

We are still looking for sponsors for:

Bowl Final – Naming rights sponsor (4,000 baht)
Plate Final – Naming rights sponsor (4,000 baht)

The tournament

Southerners T20 has modified rules designed for all teams to enjoy a not-so-serious end of season tournament – there is one main simple rule…play cricket to enjoy the result regardless!

This year, the following teams have been invited to compete in the 2011 Southerners 20/20:

• Southerners
• Siam CC
• Pattaya CC
• British Club
• Chicha CC
• Asia United
• Punjab CC
• United CC

Click here to view the full schedule of games…

A decade of keen Southerners commitment, dedication and fundraising for the development of cricket in Thailand finally paid off when three native Thai’s traveled all the way from Petchabun to make their debut in a senior Southerners side against the Punjab CC at Harrow School on 12 March.

Despite being at the end of a 88 run loss, all three players performed well in their first senior game playing with, and against, some “seasoned” cricketers.

Fielding first, the Southerners could only restrict PCC to 6/181 after 25 overs.  The highlight of the innings was Khun Boy snagging his first wicket in senior cricket, finishing with figures of 1/29.  Khun May, a Thailand U19 Ladies Player, bowled well going wicketless for 25 runs from 4 overs, and was also involved in a very true Southerners incident………..dropping a catch when the bowler was on a hat trick!!!!  Now that is a TRUE Southerners moment!

Khun Oh batted for the Southerners at number 4 and second top-scored with 17 classic runs, complete with a Bradman-like cover drive for 4.

It was a huge success bringing these youngsters down and the club looks forward to more of it towards the end of the season.  Next year we may see the 3s team with over 50% players being from Petchabun.

If you would like to know more about helping the Petchabun Junior cricket, please contact the Southerners cricket rep, Vaughan McClear.

Words/pics – Vaughan McClear

Despite the B-division team being narrowly defeated at the hands of Fortune CC on Saturday, there were plenty of signs of improvement for Southerners.

Click here to read more…