Italy: Two on the run

With six of the nine preliminary rounds gone, the fight for the playoffs is now confined to fourth place. Capannelle and Pianoro, separated by a single point, will fight it out at Rastignano Oval on June 25th for top berth and home field advantage whilst Bologna look certain of coming third. These three teams not having lost a single game to any of the other six, the fight for the last spot is still open to five clubs.

Pianoro underlined their superiority by beating Lazio in Rome in what has been up to now unquestionably the game of the season. Reduced to 30/4 by great bowling from Ciappina and De Mel, Lazio fought back through an excellent 130 run 5th wicket partnership by its two italo-southafricans. Alex Bonora, born near Genova, played a superb knock of 128, much to the delight of national coach Doug Ferguson who was present at the ground, well supported by Lazio's skipper Andy Corbellari (49). Chasing 230 after fielding nearly 4 hours in the heat would have had the best of most teams but certainly not of Pianoro who knocked off the runs for the loss of three wickets with 5 overs to spare thanks to half centuries from Ketipe, Ramanayake and "totally home grown" boy of the month Valerio Zuppiroli. Bologna, in the meantime, registered a crucial win over Trentino at the Parco della Resistenza. 183 did not look a great score but Bologna led by Qureshi superb bowling (2/10 off 10 overs) restricted the team from the Dolomites to a paltry 139. Capannelle thoroughly enjoyed their visit to Sicily, bowling out Galatea for 82 and then knocking the runs off in ten overs for the loss of one wicket mainly thanks to kiwi Deane (71 not out). Maremma finally broke their duck by massacring a Roma team still shocked by their Catanese fiasco. Tronchi (98 not out) led the way in a run feast without precedents for the Tuscan team.

With Pianoro resting, the sixth round offered Capannelle the opportunity to overtake the champions. The team from the hippodrome duly obliged with a convincing eight wicket win over a Trentino side that appears to have lost confidence following its memorable win in the Cup. The other side that was dominant in the Cup, Lazio, lost its third close match on the trot at Bologna. Qureshi (85) yet again proved decisive, this time with the bat, in a game reduced to 42 overs by rain. Murri confirmed their 100% home record trouncing Maremma's play off hopes by nine wickets whilst Roma finally got back to winning ways with a ten wicket win over Galatea.

TABLE

                        P  W  L  Batting Bowling  POINTS
Capannelle Sharp               5  5  0    19      20      99
Tecnessenze Pianoro            5  5  0    19      19      98
Bologna Web Italia             6  4  2    17      20      85
Murri Oasi del Simeto          5  3  2    13      20      69
Multiservice Lazio             6  2  4    17      19      60
Trentino                       5  2  3    13      13      50
Roma+                          5  2  3    12      12      42
Maremma Grosseto               5  1  4    10      13      35
Galatea Riviera dei Ciclopi*   6  0  6     3       8       8

*Galatea: 3 points deducted for playing one man short vs Trentino on May 14
+Roma: 6 points deducted for not playing vs Murri on May 28