Chiang Mai Sixes - Eighteen Years Young

The 18^th Chiang Mai International Cricket Sixes is scheduled to take place from March 27 -- April 2 in the grounds of the 107 year-old Chiengmai Gymkhana Club. A total of 31 teams from 11 different countries are lined-up to play in this year's tournament, which has been expanded to a full seven days and promises to be one of the biggest ever. The event also helps to promote the development of cricket in Thailand. It will include on an adjacent field competition for the 6^th Sixes Sawasdee Cricket Cup for Thai junior school teams.

As we go to press, negotiations are underway to try to bring Sir Vivian Richards to this year's Sixes. The former West Indies captain was named recently by the world cricketing 'bible' Wisden as one of 5 greatest "cricketers of the 20^th century". An invitation has also been delivered to another knight - Sir Mick Jagger - the Rolling Stones star is a keen cricket supporter and player, and it is hoped he might find time to visit the Sixes. Apart from these two major stars, a number of current and former professionals will, as usual, play with participating teams.

As the Chiang Mai International Cricket Sixes turns 18 years old this year it continues to survive as it began, based entirely on a volunteer organisation and the enthusiasm of its participating teams old and new, from far and wide. What began in 1988 as a northern breakaway from the six-a-side cricket tournament still held annually at the Royal Bangkok Sports Club, finds itself today as probably the world's biggest and most popular amateur cricket tournament. With upwards of 300 visitors travelling from overseas to Chiang Mai for the Sixes every year, the Tourism Authority of Thailand is pleased to support the event. The surprise perhaps is that no other major sponsor has so far spotted this opportunity. It is now Chiang Mai's longest running international sports event, and remains a vibrant and gloriously enjoyable week of sport & socialising. Many of the same club teams and players return year after year to what the Tournament Director of the past 15 years, Maurice Bromley, calls " first and foremost a friendship event".

Over the years, close to 100 different teams or clubs have been invited to participate in Chiang Mai Sixes (not counting the teams using different names one year to the next, or entering a second or third team in the same year). And, confirming their enjoyment of the event and of Chiang Mai itself, most teams tend to take part in the Sixes' on average for at least 3 years each. Several teams are way above that average. This year for instance, the Perth Postels team (together with its satellite teams like Bangkok Postels), are celebrating their 10^th consecutive tour to Thailand and the Chiang Mai Sixes. Australia's Postels are determined to make this year's event a special party, and have entered 3 teams (plus the Dixie Belles, their contender in the annual Ladies Challenge match). Yet even the Postels would bow to the longevity and long term loyalty to Chiang Mai of teams like the Wombats (also from Australia), Darjeeling (out of Dubai), and the Drifters (from England) each of which has played all 18 years of the tournament. In addition the local tobacco companies have entered a team under a different name for at least 17 years, and then there's the Darwin Dilettantes (15 years), and Lord's Taverners (11 years) from Australia.

But the Sixes is not just about old friends reunited, although there are indeed many of those. There are always new faces bringing athletic new blood to the regular teams, and every year 3-4 entirely new teams are invited to compete. This year, adding to a growing list of countries sending sixes teams, there's an entry from Japan - a group of expat Aussies called Tokyo Wombats CC. Also Blythswood CC , a new team from the UK, and Yarrambat CC from Australia. On past record, at least one of those is likely to become another Chiang Mai Sixes regular.

In the 6^th Sixes Sawasdee Cricket Cup (held March 29-April 2) for junior school teams, up to sixteen teams of local Thai schoolchildren are expected to compete. The competition coincides with the Thai school holidays, but thanks to the help of teachers and parents a good turnout of budding cricketers is again hoped for. There will also be a junior hardball exhibition match between two scratch teams representing local youngsters who have graduated from Sawasdee Cricket (a softball, junior version of the sport) to the hardball adult game. To be played on Saturday April 2 on the main cricket pitch, the short match is a demonstration of the progress being made in Thai junior cricket development in Chiang Mai, where some of the boys have already represented Thailand at under 13 level.

Chiang Mai Sixes at eighteen takes age and success lightly - each year is a new event and is judged by participants and spectators alike on the amount of good fun, good friendship and good cricket it generates. Even if Sir Mick or Sir Viv don't turn up this year, Sixes participants will make and enjoy their own 'festival' as always -- a pleasant, relaxed week in the rather idyllic cricket setting of the old Gymkhana Club. Six-a-side cricket is perfect for tournament format (40 minutes per match, fast & exciting to play and watch). Spectators are very much welcomed. Entry is free, there is shaded seating and a friendly all-day bar right on the boundary. So visitors may enjoy a cold beer or soft drink, eat lunch, enjoy the action or simple snooze the day away.

Cricket action runs everyday from Sunday March 27 to Saturday April 2 starting at 8:30AM and running through about 14 matches until around 17:30PM.