Visit of Royal Navy Under 25's


	Cricket Gibraltar Official site of the Gibraltar Cricket Association

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TJF

VISIT OF ROYAL NAVY UNDER 25’S.

The week-end saw the visit to the Rock of an under 25’s Royal Navy Development side. Apart from the two matches played on the Saturday and Sunday the young sailors were engaged in a series of coaching and training sessions, and, despite two heavy defeats, they appear to have enjoyed themselves and benefited from the experience. One notable feature of the encounters was the sporting spirit in which they were played and the friendships cemented with the local boys. At the end of the tour, their Manager thanked the GCA for their hospitality and expressed a wish to make this an annual event. His Excellency the Governor, Sir Robert Fulton, visited the Europa Oval during Sunday’s game.

Batting collapse makes things easy for the local side.

The Saturday match was something of a no contest as the visitors batted first and were dismissed for 78 in just 27.5 overs in what should have been a fifty overs per side affair. For the Gibraltar XI, Chris Phillips returned figures of 2/31, Gary De’Ath 2/13, and Chris Watkins 2/4 off six overs. It took the locals only 14.1 overs to bring home victory.

Plenty of runs on the Sunday.

The Sunday match lasted somewhat longer at a very cold and windy Europa Oval. This time round the local side occupied the crease first, Kieron Ferrary and Mark Bacarese giving them a solid start with a partnership of 56 in the opening ten overs before the former perished for 16. The sailors struck again four overs later as Craig Castle bowled Ross Harkins to make the total 65/2. However, that was to be their last taste of success as Mark Bacarese and Chris Phillips featured in a third wicket stand of 234, nine runs short of the record for this wicket set in May 1997 by Christian Rocca and Chris Watkins, playing for GCC against Grammarians. Both batsmen reached three figures before Bacarese was run out for 138, an innings which included seventeen fours and two sixes; altogether he had occupied the crease for just under three hours. Phillips remained undefeated on 129 (thirteen fours and three sixes), scored in two and three quarter hours. At the end of the allotted fifty overs the Gibraltar XI total stood at a daunting 367/4.

The Navy side began poorly as they lost their first four wickets with only 46 runs on the board and at that stage an early conclusion seemed in prospect. Karl Hewitt and Trevor Kos then steadied the boat with a stand of 73 before the latter departed for 38. This brought John Gresham to the crease and he kept Hewitt company whilst s further 67 runs accrued, at which point Hewitt fell just six runs short of his century. Kieron Elliott (33 not out) struck a few lusty blows towards the end to bring some respectability to the final total of 232 scored off 45.3 overs. Young Julian Freyone took 3/35 and Bacarese rounded off a highly successful day with figures of 3/42.