THE Worcester Police cricket team have returned from a ground-breaking first-ever tour of the Maldives.
The team were the first from any country other than Sri Lanka to play in the Indian Ocean island republic and they were very well-received by their hosts. They played five games and won two of them.
The Maldives have recently won the Asian Emerging Nations tournament and have some fine young players used to playing in hot conditions and on non-turf pitches.
All five games were played in the Maldives capital of Male, which is just three kilometres square but has a population approaching 100,000.
The team were taken to each game by speedboat from the island of Faro where they stayed and there was a five-minute break for prayers at noon.
While the police team's opening bowlers struggled to come to terms with temperatures in the mid nineties and the high standard of batting, Dave Bradley, Dave Price and Robin Longmore returned the best figures.
Man of the tour was opener Paul Gough, who hit a century and an unbeaten 83. Neil Fletcher also batted well and the rest chipped in when needed.
It was great experience for the players, wives, partners, and friends in the party of 33 that included 13 players.
The club was delighted to present a cheque for £1,000 to the Maldives Board for equipment, which will help towards the development of the younger players.
Results: Worcester Police v Cricket Control Board of Maldives (CCBM) CCBM 284-6, Worcester Police 201-9 (Neil Fletcher 57, Robin Longmore 51, Paul Gough 41). Worcester Police lost by 83 runs.
Worcester Police v CCBM Under 19s CCBM 191 all out (Robin Longmore 4-41, Dave Bradley 3-13).
Worcester Police 192-6 (Paul Gough 83 not out, Neil Fletcher 31). Worcester police won by four wickets.
Worcester Police v CCBM Chairman's Eleven CCBM Chair XI 248-7, Worcester Police 186-7 (Paul Gough 46, Graham Blomfield 36, Chris Holt 33). Worcester Police lost by 62 runs.
Worcester Police v CCBM Veterans Worcester Police 197-5 (Paul Gough 105 not out, Neil Fletcher 45, Graham Blomfield 32), CCBM Vetrans 110 all out (Dave Price 3-26, Steve wood 3 for 29). Worcester Police won by 66 runs Worcester Police v Maldives Police Maldives Police (257 all out) Dave Bradley 3-34, Robin Longmore 3 for 56 Worcester Police 164 all out. Worcester Police lost by 93 runs.
Source: Worcester News
1 comment:
I want to go back and do it again and I want to do it NOW !!!
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