Chiang Mai Cricket Sixes
Begin April 4th

The cricket world's most popular international amateur six-a-side tournament celebrates its 17th successful year when the tournament opens in Chiang Mai on Sunday April 4th. Alongside, for the 5th year in a row and beginning on April 6th, will run the Sixes' sponsored Chiang Mai Sawasdee Cricket Cup for junior school teams. This entire 'festival' of cricket for both adults and juniors will as usual be held in the grounds of the 106 year-old Chiengmai Gymkhana Club. For the third year running the Sixes welcomes close to thirty teams (actually 29 this year). And to accommodate this large number of entries, the Chiang Mai Sixes will run for seven days, from April 4 thu' to Saturday April 10th.

A World of Cricketers
Among the teams taking part in the 17th Chiang Mai Sixes, are many returning for their umteenth tour to the event. Three infact have participated in all seventeen years - the Wombats from Australia, Drifters from England, and Darjeeling CC from Dubai. The local Chiang Mai tobacco companies who helped to bring Sixes cricket to Chiang Mai in 1988 have also entered a team every year, but they contrive to change their team name annually. This year they will play under a Maori name "Te Pakeha". New teams also discover the Sixes and the hospitality of Chiang Mai each year - this year Surrey Vagrants, and Marchwiel Outlaws from the UK, together with Commonwealth CC from Bangladesh are the lucky new tournament entries. In all 12 countries are represented at the Sixes this year - Australia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, China, Dubai, England, Hong Kong, Malaysia, South Africa, Spain, Wales and Thailand.

Sponsor Helps Innovation
Sponsorship is always an important concern for this volunteer-organised, not-for-profit event. And while the Tourism Authority of Thailand has consistently helped to support the Sixes and the over 300 cricketers & friends it now brings into Chiang Mai, corporate sponsors have been slower to appreciate the potential. This year however Tesco Lotus is making an important business contribution in the supplies of liquid refreshment, not just for the adults, but also the junior cricketers. And Champion Sparkplug has agreed to sponsor a new "Big 10" scoring and junior cricket funding challenge at the tournament. Always open to innovation, the Sixes is experimenting this year with a boundary 10 runs. Cricket's traditional boundary scores of 4 and 6 runs are maintained, but it is felt this short version of the sport might gain added excitement with the possibility for a batsman to score 10 runs off one hit. The score 10 is achieved by the batsman hitting a large sponsored sign with a ball on the fly. And the Thai junior cricket program will benefit by a donation of 4,000 Baht from the sponsor, everytime the sign is hit. It is believed Chiang Mai Sixes is the first cricket event anywhere to introduce a boundary 10 score.

Helping Thai Junior Cricket
This 17th year of the Sixes has been given the theme of "Building a Future for Cricket in Thailand". This recognises the continuing success of the program run by the Chiang Mai Schools Cricket Alliance (CMSCA) which is introducing cricket to Thai schoolchildren. The CMSCA was started four years ago on the initiative and with funding from the Chiang Mai Sixes. Subsequently it has gained Asian Cricket Council (ACC) recognition. With over 40 schools in the Chiang Mai area now involved in playing Sawasdee Cricket (a junior form of the sport), world cricket's governing body, the International Cricket Council (ICC),has awarded the CMSCA program "Best Junior Cricket Development Initiative in Asia" in 2003-4. Now the program needs to move to a more established level by developing its own junior cricket ground and coaching facilities. A "Baht for Bats" funding drive is aimed at achieving this, and will be in the spotlight at this year's Sixes tournament. The 5th Sawasdee Cricket Cup schools competition and an exhibition junior hardball match on Saturday April 10th will demonstrate the Thai children's cricketing progress.

The Cricket Pros
As usual at Chiang Mai Sixes, a sprinkling of international cricket professionals will be assigned on a one-per-team basis, adding to the quality of the cricket and the sporting experience. Expected to play this year are ex-test stars Roy Dias and Amal Silva from Sri Lanka, Tom Hogan and Trevor Chappell of Australia, and Meyrick Pringle from South Africa. Other pros and ex-pros include Paul Pritchard, the hard hitting ex-captain of English County Championship team Essex, and from Sri Lanka, Malinda Warnapura, Jeewantha Kulatughe, Rohan Buultjens and Lanthra Fernando. This year also sees a second visit from former international test match umpire K.T. Francis.

Give 'em Your Support
It promises to be yet another glorious week of sporting fun in the sun at this year's 17th Chiang Mai Sixes. As Mike Gatting (ex-England captain) said on his second visit two years ago, "This tournament is about making friends, and I've enjoyed myself immensely". To help the social side, the organisers have built a new 'Boundary Bar' where spectators and players can enjoy a beer and the cricket at the same time. And several evening social events are planned. Admission is free at the Gymkhana Club ground, although security will be in place, and spectators are welcome to enjoy the all-day, non-stop cricket. Shaded seating is provided. The Chiang Mai International Cricket Sixes runs from Sunday April 4 thu' to Saturday April 10.

17th CHIANG MAI SIXES TEAMS & GROUPS

Cup/Bowl/Plate Competition (Round 1 Groups)

Cup/Bowl/Plate Competition (Round 1 Groups)

GROUP A
TE PAKEHA (Zimbabwe / NZ)
DARJEELING (Dubai - UAE)
SILVER STATE (Malaysia)
SURREY VAGRANTS (England)

GROUP B
LIONS OF CMW (Thailand)
GLOUCESTER GIPSIES (England)
SOUTHERNERS (Thailand)
JAVEA WANDERERS (Spain)

GROUP C
B.A. DRAGONS (Wales)
YES NO WAIT SORRIES (England)
MOONSHINE WARATHAIS (Australia)
LAMMA C.C. (Hong Kong)

GROUP D
LORDS TAVERNERS (Australia)
AWALI TAVERNERS (Bahrain)
SHENANIGANS DARWIN DILETTANTES (Australia)
STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN DRIFTERS (England)

GROUP E
COMMONWEALTH C.C. (Bangladesh)
SHANGHAI DRAGONS (China)
PERTH POSTELS (Australia)

GROUP F
MARCHWIEL OUTLAWS (Wales / Aus)
ALMAR C.C. (South Africa)
ASHWELL CRUSADERS (England)

Spoon Competition Group

SCHEDULED MATCHES - DAY 1
(Sunday April 4 --- 12: 00 Start)

• Te Pakeha Vs Darjeeling CC
• Gymkhana Cavaliers Vs Irish Pub Gang Green
• Lions of CMW Vs Gloucestershire Gipsies
• B.A. Dragons Vs Yes No Wait Sorries
• Lords Taverners Vs Awali Taverners
• Te Pakeha Vs Silver State
• Shanghai Dragons Vs Almar CC

SCHEDULED MATCHES - DAY 2
(Monday April 5 - 8: 30 AM Start)

• Lions of CMW Vs Javea Wanderers
• Darjeeling CC Vs Surrey Vagrants
• Perth Postels Vs Ashwell Crusaders
• B.A. Dragons Vs Moonshine Warathais
• Gymkhana Cavaliers Vs Wombats CC
• Gloucestershire Gipsies Vs Javea Wanderers
• Shenanigans Dilettantes Vs Stairway to Heaven Drifters
• Shenanigans Malakas Vs Living Dolls
• Irish Pub Gang Green Vs Bangkok Postels
• Silver State Vs Surrey Vagrants
• Yes No Wait Sorries Vs Moonshine Warathais
• Wombats CC Vs Halylt
• B.A. Dragons Vs Lamma CC.
• Commonwealth CC Vs Almar CC

SCHEDULED MATCHES -- DAY 3
(Tuesday April 6th - 8:30 AM Start)

5th Sawasdee Cricket Cup Competition begins with round-robin matches between junior school teams in 5th Grade Division

In the Sixes :

• Lords Taverners Vs Stairway to Heaven Drifters
• Awali Taverners Vs Shenanigans Dilettantes
• Bangkok Postels Vs Living Dolls
• Moonshine Warathais Vs Lamma CC
• Lions of CMW Vs Southerners
• Halylt Vs Shenanigans Malakas
• Darjeeling CC Vs Silver State CC
• Perth Postels Vs Marchwiel Outlaws
• Wombats CC Vs Living Dolls
• Shanghai Dragons Vs Ashwell Crusaders
• Irish Pub Gang Green Vs Shenanigans Malakas
• Awali Taverners Vs Stairway to Heaven Drifters
• Javea Wanderers Vs Southerners
• Te Pakeha Vs Surrey Vagrants

SCHEDULED MATCHES - Day 4
(Wednesday April 7th - 8:30 AM Start)

5th Sawasdee Cup continues with round -robin matches between junior school teams in 6th Grade Division

In the Sixes :

• Commonwealth CC Vs Ashwell Crusaders
• Southerners Vs Gloucestershire Gipsies
• Shanghai Dragons Vs Marchwiel Outlaws
• Yes No Wait Sorries Vs Lamma CC
• Lords Taverners Vs Shenanigans Dilettantes
• Perth Postels Vs Almar CC
• Commonwealth CC Vs Marchwiel Outlaws

ROUND TWO PLAYOFFS FOR CUP, BOWL, AND PLATE,BEGIN (12:50 PM Wednesday)

Days 5 & 6 (Thursday April 8th & 9th - 8:30 AM Start)

5th Sawasdee Cup continues with matches in Grade 5 Division on Thursday & Grade 6 Division on Friday

PLAYOFFS FOR SIXES' CUP, BOWL, PLATE & SPOON CONTINUE.

Day 7 (Saturday April 10th - 8: 30 AM Start)

Finals of 5th Sawasdee Cricket Cup ( 3RD & 4TH Place Matches for 5th & 6th Grades + 5th Grade Final, & 6th Grade Final) 8:30AM to approx 10:45AM.

Chiang Mai Sixes Finals (8:30 AM to approx 5: 30PM):

• Bowl Trophy Semi-Finals
• Ladies Challenge Final (Chiang Mai Chassies Vs World Women's Dixie Bells)
• Junior 'Hardball' Cricket Exhibition Match (Two teams of Chiang Mai schoolboys)
• Sixes Cup Semi Finals
• All-Star Challenge Final (Sri Lankans Vs Rest of the World)
• SPOON FINAL
• PLATE FINAL
• BOWL FINAL
• CUP FINAL