FOLLOWING weeks of preparation and anticipation Colwall CC were thrilled when the weather played its part for the match against the Lashings World XI.

COLWALL CC v LASHINGS WORLD XI

Brilliant sunshine, an expectant crowd and a ground that did great credit to groundsman Derek Brimmell and his team, awaited the international cricketers.

Lashings batted first with openers Rashid Latif, from Pakistan, and Phil de Frietas. Colwall's own international, Greece's Jordan Kontarines bowled an exceptional five overs for just 19 runs and included the wicket of de Frietas, well-taken by Tom Wolfendale.

Aravinda da Silva and Rashid then built a significant stand, but Darren Cook was unfortunate not to take the wicket of da Silva after he found a faint outside edge from a perfect inswinger, only to see the ball spill from the keeper's gloves.

Matt King's medium pace accounted for Rashid, giving Wolfendale the second of what was to prove to be four catches in the innings. Da Silva became progressively more inventive on his way to his century which included 17 4s and two 6s. His stay was ended by Bennett taking the first of his two wickets. At 30 overs, with the score on 227, the home team were feeling that a modicum of control had been maintained.

Russell Arnold was to change all that. In his last game before rejoining the Sri Lankan squad in Columbo he struck his first ball for six. Chris Lewis then succumbed to the wiles of Bennett.

Chris Cairns holds the record for hitting sixes in international matches and the crowd were hoping for some fireworks. They got them, but it was Arnold who set about destroying the home attack. He reached 51 runs from just 17 balls, seven of which went for 6.

Colwall made a promising start to their innings when Tom Wolfendale pulled the first ball from Nantie Haywood for four. For 15 overs the Colwall crowd were treated to the fastest bowling seen on the ground.

David Powell nicked a ball from Haywood and became the first of four victims for the keeper but Wolfendale and Nick Panniers dug in and survived the opening spell.

Both were beaten by Chris Cairns, who also accounted for Tim Riley in a hostile spell of four overs. Captain Peter Butler played an assured innings of 32 before the lightning gloves of Rashid proved his and also Matt Fortnum's undoing.

With the game out of Colwall's grasp, Gareth Bakewell strode to the crease and brought the crowd to their feet with a display of hitting that even outdid Arnold.

Within six balls he had hit 26, including three 6s. It was not to last and the the legend himself, Alvin Kallicharan spun one past his outside edge to disturb his castle.

Lee Hankins and Darren Cook took inspiration from Bakewell's innnings and they ended the game in a flurry of boundaries, Hankins hitting the final ball of the day for six.