| Sports |
MCC victorious in first one-day clash
By MUSARIKE ANANGAI
A hat-trick by right-arm seam bowler Ronnie Kotkamp early in the
sixth over enabled the Marylebone Cricket Club to beat the PNG
Brian Bell Patrons team by 29 runs in the first one-day match
yesterday at Amini Park.
The weather was kind for a change all day yesterday to allow the
game to proceed on an otherwise water-logged ground, allowing
Kotkamp to go on the rampage.
Firstly, he trapped opener Arua Uda lbw for five runs (15 balls),
before bowling Kohu Dai (0), and Stanley Voro (0) out to complete
the hat trick.
PNG were struggling at 5 for 16 at the start of the seventh over
after the fall of the opening batsmen.
Despite a courageous 57-run middle order partnership (the highest
in the match) by Lae- based Alfred Amini and captain Christopher
Amini, PNG’s lower order crumbled to be all out for 79 runs.
MCC won the toss earlier in the morning and elected to bat.
PNG bowled MCC out in 38.5 overs for 108 runs.
Former England wicketkeeper Geraint Jones, 28 off 56 balls, and
left hander Mathew Eyles, 21 from 55 top scored for the visitors.
PNG’s best bowlers were Loa Nou (3/32 off 7.5 overs) and Jacob
Mado (3/24 off 10 overs).
PNG’s run chase did not get off to a good start with opener Kila
Pala caught for a duck by Mark Lawson while trying to play a hook
shot off the bowling of Danny Evans.
Assad Vala was next to follow, caught by Ben Claypole at mid-on
for three runs off the bowling of Kotkamp in the fourth over.
Kotkamp’s hatrick followed in the sixth over and MCC had the upper
hand despite a brief middle order fight back to bowl PNG out in
31.2 overs.
PNGCB president Mick Nades said after match he was proud of his
young charges for putting up a good fight.
MCC Manager Mark Rollingson said with the wet weather all week he
did not expect to play and was surprised by the close score line.
Quick action by PNGCB earlier in the morning enabled the pitch to
be covered with synthetic matting and the worst affected run-up
patches and outer fields were covered with sawdust and river sand.
National coach Api Leka said it was a good effort by the PNG team
considering that the MCC players play at a higher level of
domestic competition.
 
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