Delhi Viceroys get their revenge over Phuket

PHUKET: The Delhi Viceroys, on the final day of their hastily rearranged cricket tour due to the flooding in Bangkok, gained vengeance over revised hosts the Phuket Cricket Group today.

After a comprehensive defeat on day one, by all ten wickets in a Twenty20 match at the Alan Cooke Ground, the Viceroys got revenge in very similar fashion, though in a match set for 40 overs per inning.

Very well aware of the slow outfield and overcast skies, Delhi won the toss and elected to field, proving a wise choice.

Patrick and Noble opened for Phuket, and after facing 8 overs achieved a paltry 17 run partnership, before Patrick on twelve fell, caught off the bowling of Denyer.

Nadeen took to the crease and never looked comfortable, especially after taking a rather vicious delivery just above the elbow. However, after an early drinks break he returned bravely to the center, only to top-edging Yeo, well caught by the Viceroys’ wicket keeper for nine.

Noble in the twelfth over was clean bowled by the classic ‘slow’ delivery from Welbury for a miserly 7 despite the time spent at the middle, fully demonstrating the tight line and length of Delhi’s attack.

After that it became a steady procession of batmen being dismissed by the Viceroys, with no-one managing to reach double figures again, ably assisted by American Slater, playing his last match for the Viceroys. Phuket, all out for 66 were rightly disappointed with their batting performance.

Slater ended with bowling figures of 5 wickets for 4 runs off 4 overs and was rightly named “Man of the Match” by umpires Folds and Van De Blerk, a deserved parting gift.

Sensing blood, Milton and Ehresman of the Viceroys were happy to pad-up and return quickly to the field and chase down a target of 67 runs for the win. Milton enjoyed his time, finishing as the day’s top scorer with 31, including five boundaries,

Not so for Ehresman.

Cleaned bowled by Jojy, whose quick delivery just managed to nibble a bail, sending a rather dejected Viceroy back to the clubhouse.

Milton, now partnered by Liddell, finished the chase in very stylish fashion. Both batmen, with the use of fine strokes, never looked troubled and completed the rout in 11.3 overs.

Jojy of Phuket finished with figures of 1 wicket, off 3 overs for 14 runs, the only bowling highlight for the hosts.

The match was played in very good humor from the start, and ended with an open-invitation extended to the Dehli Viceroys to return.

The Phuket Gazette is the official Phuket media partner of the Alan Cooke Ground.