Tripathi Blue saw off challenges from local sides Patong White and Village Cricket Team, with fine performances with the bat from Harshit Kaushik and Carmen, while Deepak Khatri weighed in with a retirement and three wickets in the final game of the day.
The event, now in its seventh year, has attracted participants from around the globe to the majestic Alan Cooke Ground in Phuket to enjoy a fine festival of cricket to complete the Phuket Cricket Week organised by the Asian Cricket Sixes Tour (ACST).
Each of the nine sides will play four matches to determine which honours they will compete for at tomorrow’s (Apr 22) Finals Day.
Tripathi Group, one of the tournament sponsors, fielded two sides in the event; both mixing men and women. Seven women cricketers from India and South Africa, who have developed through the company were split; with two playing for Tripathi Blue and five in the predominantly female Tripathi Orange.
Hot on the heels of the leaders are the UAE Falcons who enjoyed victories over Gulshan Youth of Bangladesh, in a match that was lit up by the batting of Faisal Mohammad, and then the effervescent CBB Postels in a low scoring game.
Tripathi Orange also had enjoyed a good day, collecting two wins as girl power showed the way in wins against a bewildered Patong Blue and then Hong Kong’s Discovery Bay Sea Eagles, as skipper Vikas Rana steered his crew home.
CBB Postels bounced back to defeat Gulshan Youth, while Patong White collected bragging rights in their local derby against Village Cricket Team. In the day’s other game Discovery Bay defeated Patong Blue as Ankur Soni wielded the willow.
Participants headed for a barbeque at the Aussie Pub in Kamala yesterday evening (Apr 20) as they continued to make friendships through cricket.
Day Two at the ACG got underway at 10 today (Apr 21). Spectators are welcome, admission is free and refreshments are available.