Saturday Championship ─ Match Report (5th March 2016)
Saturday Championship Division 1

At Hong Kong Cricket Club, HKCC Gap Ramblers shocked their rivals HKCC Nomads to go top of the table.

Nomads elected to bat first after winning the toss but they were in early trouble after losing both openers with only eight runs on the board. Tom Ingram picked up three early wickets to leave Nomads on 4/41 but they recovered to 4/92 thanks to 50 from Stephen Hawinkels. Isaac Poole then sparked a remarkable collapse that saw Nomads’ six remaining wickets tumble for the addition of only nine more runs. Poole finished with figures of 4/10 from five overs while Ingram claimed 3/26 as Nomads were dismissed for 101 in just 23 overs.

Gap Ramblers’ skipper David Varley led the chase and together with Stuart Tohill added 65 runs for the second wicket. Tohill hit 39 while Varley finished unbeaten on 32 as Gap Ramblers knocked off the runs in 20 overs to earn a bonus point.

At HKCC: HKCC Nomads 101 in 23 overs lost to HKCC Gap Ramblers 3/103 from 20 overs by seven wickets.

At the other end of the table, there was another tight finish at Kowloon Cricket Club where KCC Crusaders defeated Centaurs by 15 runs.

Crusaders batted first and they posted a total of 5/199 from 34 overs with Ravi Sujanani carrying his bat for an unbeaten 108 while Nigel Shroff hit 37. Ayub Khan was the most successful bowler for Centaurs with figures of 3/39 from seven overs.

In reply, Centaurs recovered from an early wicket as Keith Hemshall (39) and Nasir Hameed (69) combined in a century partnership for the second wicket. Khawaja Tariq continued the run chase for Centaurs with an unbeaten 35 but the total proved too great and they finished on 4/184.

At KCC: KCC Crusaders 5/199 from 34 overs beat Centaurs 4/184 from 34 overs by 13 runs.



Saturday Championship Division 2

In Division 2 action at Mission Road, Lamma CC thrashed Pioneers CC by 222 runs.

Lamma dominated this match from the outset after being sent into bat by Pioneers skipper James Chan. Louis Worrall scored all the runs in a 38 run opening partnership after which Ian Beck (72) and Mukundh Gopalan added 83 runs for the second wicket. Lamma’s skipper Adrian Sargent then chipped in with 49 in a fifth wicket stand of 80 runs with Brenton McDonald who finished unbeaten on 36. Lamma finished on 5/244 from their 35 overs. James Chan was the only Pioneers’ bowler of note with figures of 3/28 from seven overs.

Lamma’s Ben Cooper then ran through the Pioneers batting line-up as the all-Chinese team was routed for just 22. Cooper finished with the season’s third best figures of 7/8 from six overs. All of his victims were dismissed either bowled or LBW.

At Mission Road: Lamma CC 5/244 from 35 overs beat Pioneers CC 22 from 11.4 overs.