Southerners complete remarkable turnaround by claiming Thai title

The Southerners, last year's wooden-spooner, completed a remarkable turnaround in the Thailand Cricket League's 1998-99 season, with a six wicket win over Royal Bangkok Sports Club last Sunday to secure the club's first ever 50-over league championship.

The result was a fitting end to the season for the competition's only undefeated side, whose run home for the minor premiership was frustrated by bad weather.

Reigning premier, RBSC, which played the final without star all-rounders, Luke and Lam Thongchai, lost momentum from the start after having been put in to bat at the Dusit Polo Ground in Hua Hin.

Only RBSC stalwart Tom Kamasura (34) managed to look comfortable against the Southerners' attack, which dismissed the Sports Club for only 116 thanks to excellent spells from Karl Malakunas (26-4) and Jason Ellis (18-2) and some outstanding fielding.

This was never going to be enough runs on the Hua Hin wicket, despite an early scare when the Southerners slumped to 32-2. However, Colin Devonshire (30) and club captain, Alan Good (25) then steadied the innings to guide the about-to-be TCL premier to victory with 15 overs to spare.

RBSC's young bowling line-up, led by Tim O'Shea (15-1), Doug Edwards (20-1) and Chalee Kader (26-0), made scoring difficult for the Southerners' batsmen, but they were simply defending too few runs.

Southerners' premiership was also a fitting end to the Thailand cricketing careers of club stalwarts, Alan Good and Nick Crapp, who will be moving overseas before next season.

RBSC 116 (T.Karnasura 34; K.Malakunas 26-4, J.Ellis 18-2, Moss 30-1, Seifman 13-1) lost to Southerners 120-4 (C.Devonshire 30, A. Good 25, N.Crapp 18 n.o.; T.O'Shea 15-1, M.Kader 12-1, D.Edwards 20-1, Anil 15-1).