Saturday’s cricket match wasn’t just another league game.
Malta Cricket paid tribute to its finest all rounder Michael Caruana.
It was to be his last match for Marauders CC and last game at the Marsa Cricket Ground as he will be emigrating to Australia in the next few days.
The morning started off with presentations to Caruana, from the Malta Cricket Association, the Marsa Cricket Club and Marauders CC in appreciation of his dedication to the sport and, among other things, overseeing the development of youth cricket.
The Summer League match between Melita CC and Marauders CC then got underway.
Melita captain Frank Spiteri won the toss and asked the Marauders to bat first.
Phil Gibbs (11 ret.) and Ed Manning (7) dominated a solid opening spell. Gibbs had one of his better innings. He retired after 30 balls faced and Ed Manning was eventually out caught to a brilliant running catch by A. Naudi.
But that’s when the Melita bowlers (Joe Gartner, Mack Towers, Joy Ghoseroy and Andy Naudi) showed their worth and produced one of the best spells of bowling during this summer league. They bowled 17 overs between them, took five wickets and only 47 runs were conceded.
Batsmen P. Bradley (27 ret.) and D. Arnold (27 ret.) played attacking strokes towards the end of their innings to give the Marauders a defendable 135 runs. Melita CC used seven bowlers – the best being Naudi (three for seven runs).
Melita changed their opening partners once again in their run chase.
John Grima and Jack Barritt quickly found that the Marauders had their own strong bowling attack. Manning revenged the boundary, Barritt scored by pinning him lbw for six runs and from the other end D. Marks clean bowled Grima for five.
Melita soon found themselves 28/3 after young Luke Bradley caught Mack Towers (5) at covers.
This brought skipper Spiteri (28) to the crease and together with Michael John Grima (17) they put on a 35-run partnership.
Both Spiteri and Grima fell to Michael Caruana – his last two wickets for the Marauders.
Batting at no.7 and no.8 respectively, Andy Naudi (43 not out) and Joy Ghoseroy (25 not out) passed the Marauders score with 2.4 overs left.
Although at a glance the result looks like a comfortable win for Melita, on the day the Marauders produced one of their best attacking and fielding sides this summer and with just another wicket it could have been a different result altogether.
Best bowlers for Marauders were Marks 3/14 and Caruana 2/45.
Match summary
Marauders 135 for 6 (Bradley 27, Arnold 27; Naudi 3-7) lost to Melita 138 for 6 (Naudi 43, Spiteri 28; Naudi 2-16; Marks 3-14) by four wickets.