Lighthouse Phuket International Cricket Sixes 2005
Bowl winners in the inaugural Phuket Sixes in 2004,
could Lamma CC challenge for the Cup in 2005...
Written by
Steve “Milky” Bolshaw
With three tour ‘virgins’ embarking on the second annual Phuket International Cricket Sixes, Skipper Ian Harling was always going to have his hands full. Sadly, he never appreciated how big his hands were actually going to need to be...
The designated meeting time for the group of four LCC players on their way to Phuket was the 8.15am ferry. It now seems strangely portentous that one of them failed to make the boat. The missing player was finally located and a pleasantly empty flight whisked them all to Phuket. Other members of the squad were either already in Phuket or travelling independently.
With all players and kit having arrived safely, which is more than can be said for the return leg, a beach full of free beer, volleyball, cricket and tunes had been laid on. So LCC, in their finest tradition, tucked in, under strict instructions to steer clear of volleyball, cricket and dancing as the skipper wanted muscle twinges avoided at all costs.
Cover of Lighthouse Phuket International Cricket Sixes 2005 programme (click to enlarge)
Facing two games on the first day, a few members of the team spent a quiet evening of cultural exchange with the local citizens, looking to expand their horizons and LCC goodwill.
As the temperature approached 40 degrees, Lamma took to the field for the first game, which was against their nearest rivals in the contest — nearest from the point of view that they had travelled from Macau. The opposition batted first knocking up a respectable 58 for 1 in the five overs. LCC responded well finishing on 63 without loss, with Imran battering a 33 retired, and Steve holding up his end. The initial victory quelled the initial nerves of a team back to defend their Bowl title.
However, a minor setback against the Sunshine CC rocked the team slightly as LCC experienced their first Phuket loss of 2005.
Having nursed their wounds from the defeat, one game and one win was the requirement for the team on the Friday. Chiang Mai Postels stood in the way of a Cup place and they were duly disposed of, with Imran continuing his run of retirements and Mark Burns hitting 26, blasting the bowling to all parts of the ground and the game was won.
Lamma CC captain Ian “Chucker” Harling shows off his purple chopper, but team-mate Imran is not to be outdone — luckily he could find a bike to match his wardrobe
Also out that day was Ian and his big purple chopper. A magnificent sight to behold with chrome attachments, and high handlebars. Not wishing to be outdone, Imran decided that he needed a quicker number and went for a sporty yellow banana of a bike, and a matching tee shirt and shorts combo. And with the two of them roaring their way around the island, the remaining members of the squad were left to get their fears massaged away, scared that the sixes tournament could rapidly end as a fours contest.
Sunday beckoned and with it the toughest game of the competition so far — a quarterfinal spot against the Perth Postels, one of the early favourites for the Cup. Batting second, LCC were left requiring 87 for victory and progression. Despite another 30 from Imran and Brad hitting a hat trick of 6s off South African pro-cricketer Kenny Jackson, one clearing the stand, the Lamma team unfortunately did not quite have the juice to make it. A berth in the Bowl semi awaited.
Lamma CC and Perth Postels (Australia) after the Postels had triumphed in their Day 3 match in the Cup competition
And what a tense match this proved to be. Coming down to the final ball of the game, with LCC requiring only two runs for victory. With Steve reinstated after a controversial whitechapelling, a wide from the last ball meant that just one was required to go through to the finals. A horrible half-tracker that looked as if it was going to bounce twice ensured that LCC were going home with no medals but heads held high. And then the fireworks truly began...
The player who missed that first-morning ferry, Ravi, decided that with no more games to play an afternoon of beer and rowdy support of any team that happened to be playing — often both teams at once — was the order of the day. With the finals completed, Ravi decided that the best solution was to carry himself and the kit bags home. And this proved to be his undoing.
Managing to trip over the kit bag as he exited the lift in the hotel, Ravi fell using his face as a means to break the fall. The resulting gash above the eye meant an ambulance had to be called, with the injured party being coaxed to hospital with yet another beer. The only hurdle that remained was stitches. And that was never going to happen. Clasping the doctor firmly in one hand and his team-mate with the other, Ravi ignored all medical advice and bravely discharged himself with only thoughts of the Awards dinner in his headÉ and stars and small, tweeting birds.
Ravi after having been patched up at the local hospital
The Awards dinner was a grand affair at the rather swish Hilton Arcadia Hotel, with good food, banter and camaraderie, and most importantly a fair amount of money being raised for some excellent causes.
Ravi, still clearly concussed and despite remonstrations from team-mates, bid for every item in the auction, even at one time trying to out bid his own team Chairman. He did, however, successfully secure a signed Nottinghamshire one-day shirt. It is an unconfirmed rumour that he still doesn’t know where Nottinghamshire is.
And that was it, or at least you would have expected it to be. With lightning never supposed to strike twice, the team expected a relatively straight forward return home, even though one of the team had a “trophy” to take with them if not a medal... and the kit, or not as the case was.
Spied sitting on the lobby sofa, smoking a cigarette, the LCC Kit Master, nursing a great bloodied bandage above his eye, looked somewhat pensive. Steve naturally concluded that a hangover and concussion were the reason as he sat down next to him. And then it happened. What has already gone down in Lamma Cricketing folklore.
Ravi turns and, with no hint of irony, states, “Some f***wit has put our bags on a different bus and now I do not know where they are...” This after he’d left his bags, kit and the entire kit of Lamma CC unattended in the hotel lobby while he went to breakfast some one and a half hours before the scheduled departure, and returned to find the whole lot on its way to the airport with another team!
Steve nearly wet himself with laughter. The great fork of lightning had struck again — in charge of himself and the team kit, Ravi had managed to get neither back in one piece.
In case you’re wondering, Ravi flew home without his bags, and the club’s. They were eventually located and freighted back to Hong Kong by those nice people at the Karon Sea Sands Resort, arriving some two weeks later, the night before the club needed the kit for a game of cricket!
For more details and photos on the Phuket Sixes tournament and full results go to:
phuketsixes.com
Lamma CC Phuket Sixes squad 2005 — Back row: (left to right) Kevin “Silver Fox” Bishop, Ravi “Ravster” Dahiya, Steve “Milky” Bolshaw. Front row: Imran “Imran” Idrees, Brad “Tarry” Tarr, Ian “Chucker” Harling (captain), Mark “Monty” Burns
