On Saturday the Cricket Winter league continued after two weekends of bad weather where points were split. Melita C.C took on Marsa C.C in a high scoring affair.

Melita batted first with Simon Lavendar and Tim Wheeler opening the batting. Wheeler, a very patient and correct batsmen was first to go after going down the wicket to hit a Will Nicholls ball, missed the ball and was stumped, he made eight runs.

Lavendar on the other hand lasted the full forty balls and managed to make fifty runs, his half century coming up on the last ball he faced and needing three runs he was well aided by his partner Chris Riordan, who had too dive a couple of meters to make his ground. Riordan himself also retired making forty five runs, both of these batsmen hit three boundaries in their innings.

The innings of the day came from the majestic Andy Naudi, who toyed with the bowling, making sixty three runs from his forty balls faced, which included five fours and a six.

After the twenty five overs the Melita team had scored a fair score of 182 runs. Only Frank Spiteri and Nicholls were successful bowlers for the Marsa team.

On paper the Marsa team had the batting power to make the runs. Frank Spiteri had a tough time but still managed to retire scoring thirty two runs, Zubair Raja made seven runs, Tony Azzopardi made nineteen runs, Malcolm Crabbe played a good innings of forty two runs and retired, Sam Aquilina seven runs, Sid Anand thirteen runs, Paul Bradley eleven runs and Nicholls three runs.

Extras were of thirty one and still the Marsa team were short by eighteen runs. For Melita Niraj Khanna, Justin Farrin Thorne and Derek Ali took a wicket each, while Andy Naudi took two to complete a good day for him.

Melita earned fifteen points from the win and go into second place with thirty one points, while Marsa earned one point and are third with twenty eight points.

Next Saturday Marsa take on the leaders Krishna C.C.

Saturday morning the Sunoco cricket academy/nursery will be from 9:00 till 10:30am.

Photograph of Andy Naudi

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