Malta Select XI played Combined XI at the Marsa oval last weekend.

A very good opening spell from Andy Naudi and Derek Ali restricted the Select batsmen to 26 runs from nine overs and also took a wicket.

Further trouble came to the Select team when Nowell Khosla was lbw for 15 runs, Javed Shah was caught and Ronnie Sacco was bowled, leaving the team with the loss of four wickets and only 45 runs on the board from 14 overs.

Mark G. Sacco was the only top order batsman who was showing defiance but he was caught in the slips by Derek Ali for 22 runs.

Mike Caruana had now been at the crease, patiently building on his innings, as Tony Azzopardi came in and made 15 valuable runs before being bowled. Sarfraz Ali remained not out with Caruana. Ali made 15 runs while Caruana ended up with 79.

Malta Select totalled 180 runs from their 40 overs.

In reply, Combined XI lost Malcolm Crabbe for five runs which brought together Phil Gibbs and Chris Naudi.

Gibbs played the silent partner, giving the strike to Naudi who was making light work of the bowling. They put on a partnership of 49 runs before Naudi was trapped lbw for 37.

Combined XI were still on track for a win but in came Mike Caruana to change all that. He bowled three overs, two maidens and took five wickets. He was aided by Ronnie Sacco in slips (he took two great catches) and wicket-keeper John Grima, who took a stumping and a catch.

After this spell Caruana was rested.

Bikram Arora was still at the crease though, prodding along after the barrage of fallen wickets.

He opened up his shoulders and the ball went sailing over the boundary four times.

Tony Slater tried hard to stay with Arora and gave him as much strike as possible, making a partnership of 52 before he was stumped.

Arora was caught on the boundary for 53 and the game was over.

Combined XI totalled 128, losing by 52 runs.

Whitewash

The third game against Queen’s Park was played earlier in the week and the visitors completed a whitewash over the home side.

Last weekend, a Level One coaching course was held where Nadia Gosney, Samuel Aquilina, Derek Ali, Malcolm Crabbe, Mike Rawle, Nowell Khosla and Kevin Krishna all attained the status.

The MCA Winter League starts on Saturday with holders Melita Betfair opening their title defence with a match against Krishna at 10 a.m.