Trentino stun Pianoro, Maremma and Lazio record landslide wins in Italian cricket

The preliminary stage of the Italian Cup is completed. Dr. Simone Gambino provides the latest:

"The Final round of the preliminary phase of the Italian Cup, the competition for Italian players only played under Cricket Max rules, produced two expected outcomes and one stunning result. As you may recall, the nine competing clubs were divided into three mini round robins on a regional basis:

North (Bologna, Pianoro, Trentino)
Centre (Capannelle, Lazio, Roma)
South (Galatea, Maremma, Murri)

In the northern group decider Champions and Cup holders Pianoro hosted Trentino after both teams had disposed of Bologna. Leading by 41 after the Ist innings, thanks to 60 by the always reliable Zuppiroli, Professor Parisi's boys looked to be cantering towards victory, needing only 12 runs off three overs with eight wickets in hand. A craving for suicide, coupled with excellent bowling by Avancini and Filippini, produced an incredible collapse that gave Trentino, heavily indebted battingwise to Buttigliera ice cream man, Aamir Shah, victory by a single run.

The central group was decided by the clash between traditional rivals Capannelle and Lazio. All hopes of an exciting contest quickly vanished with Lazio taking control from the start and winning in the end by 93 runs thanks to excellent performances not only from their two Cape Town Italians, Alessandro Bonora and Andrea Corbellari, but more importantly from their three under 19 internationals: Gabriele Passaretti, in front and behind the stumps, Edoardo Gallo and Ivan Sarnelli, with the ball.

The visit to Catania was a real bonanza for Maremma Grosseto who disposed in succession with total ease of the two Sicilian clubs Murri and Galatea. Tronchi's devastating hitting form ensured there would be no surprises and that Maremma would be able to play on home territory on April 30th & May 1st in the final round robin with Trentino and Lazio, hoping in a repeat of the surprising triumph registered in 1998."