The MCA Winter Wallop League continued at the oval last weekend as Krishna Cobras were up against Marsa Magpies.
The Magpies struggled to field their best team and ended up having five new players making their debut in the league.
After winning the toss the Magpies batted first. John Rusher was their opener but he was the first to go after dollying a catch to short mid-off.
However, Rusher’s partner, Mark G. Sacco, was part of a 50-run partnership with newbie Mike George who was caught at point.
Sacco went on to retire after 30 balls (local rule)... he made 25 runs.
Sreejith Rajeev, another of the new faces for Marsa Magpies, was happily dancing around the crease until he was beaten all ends up by Amy Caruana with a very well flighted delivery, John Grima quite happily took the stumping.
After that, had it not been for a brilliant knock from Andrew Naudi, who made 30 runs from 22 balls, the Marsa total would have been a shambles.
With 32 extras, that included 17 wides, the Magpies managed a moderate 122 runs.
Mike Caruana felled three wickets while Amal Sebastion and Ramadeep Singh took a wicket each for the Cobras.
Krishna Cobras showed no mercy in their reply as they cruised to victory in the 14th over, losing only two wickets along the way.
Ravi Sharma only managed nine runs from five deliveries before he was lbw to a delivery from Andrew Naudi.
Ramadeep Singh was the other Cobras wicket to fall after making 28 runs from 19 balls... he gave his wicket away with a simple ‘caught and bowled’ to Tony Azzopardi.
Nowell Khosla was at his best making 44 runs before having to retire. Malcolm Crabbe (24 runs including the winning six of the game) and Sharoon Lazaar (one run) guided the Cobras to victory.
The Magpies knew they had their backs to the walls and tried eight bowlers along the way but could not find the breakthrough they needed. The Cobras won quite comfortably in the end to take the provisional lead in the standings.
On Saturday, the Magpies will be looking to make up for the upset but will they have to lift their game considerably to beat Melita Bees.