By PETER PUSAL
It was the Keapara-Amini show as bottom of the table dwellers TST Coasters and Mariners did battle at the Colts oval last Saturday in the Port Moresby Cricket A grade fixtures.
Batting first Mariners top order could not get ascendancy out in the middle with wickets falling at regular intervals. They should have made more of their opportunities with clear weather and the field finally looking the part courtesy of a trim during the week, however, the Mariners batting order resembling the fortunes of the East Asia Pacific team-aside from John Ovia of course (check back page story) could not get started with batsmen finding ways of getting out or just throwing their wickets away with silly shots.
Mariners were eventually dismissed for 193 in the 43rd over, the only batting performance of note provided by under rated off-spinner George Fode (46 not out) coming in at number 11!
Coasters started their run chase with a dynamic little session before lunch with Jimmy Maha, especially looking menacing plundering 24 runs in the space of three overs.
After lunch, the momentum swung Mariners way when opener Wala Vala was dismissed for a duck. From that point on, it was an arm wrestle as the Mariners tactics revolved around starving the dangerous Maha of strike and giving it to meeker batsman. The tactic paid off when a frustrated Maha (46) finally getting strike after attempting to dispatch a ball over the long off boundary only to miss and be given out leg before.
Enter Chris Amini, the current PNG representative was again at his composed best as he anchored the innings from that point on to steer Coasters 4/194 to a six wicket win with eight balls to spare over the hapless Mariners.
The other Saturday match was in the adjacent Amini Park where Kira Kira Cricket Club went up against Wesram Taora. The highlight of this game was an unbeaten century knock by Wesram’s indefatigable Mavara Tamasi (103 not out). Wesram went on post a decent total of 224/10. For KCC, leg spin maestro William Harry was amongst the wickets picking up a three-for, small consolation for him though having dropped Tamasi on 30 earlier on.
Harry also featured in the run chase thrashing 39 runs opening the innings for KCC. However, the day belonged to Wesram who stopped KCC 212/10 handing them their second loss in a row, by 12 runs.
In yesterday’s matches, last year’s premiers BNG Poreporena (196/9) playing neighours SNS United (187/9) got home by nine runs.