CHALOEMWONG SEES THAILAND HOME TO VICTORY OVER SINGAPORE WITH BRILLIANT 70*

The second round of matches in Group B in the ACC Men’s Challenger Cup was being played at TCG in Bangkok with Thailand facing Singapore in the morning match and it has proved a great day for Thailand as they beat highly rated Singapore by seven wickets as Chaloemwong Chatpaisan scored Thailand’s highest individual score in T20 Internationals.

Singapore won the toss and chose to bat first. Singapore were looking for their second victory and Thailand were hoping to put their defeat against Japan behind them.

Singapore scored nine runs off the first over as Jandree Coetzee searched for his line. The other left-arm pace bowler favours the short ball and Mukesh Thakur dismissed Anitra Dutta with his first ball as he fended to the keeper. Rezza Ghaznavi slashed the next ball to deep third man and incredibly Surendran Chandramohan was lbw to the last ball of the over. Thakur had three wickets in the over and Singapore were 12 for 3.

Left-arm spin was on in the fifth over and Nopphon Senamontree started tidily and Chanchai Pengkumpta bowled a testing over until a boundary off the last ball took Singapore to 26 for 3 after six overs.

Thailand were keeping the pressure up but a catch was dropped at cover and Nopphon was spinning the ball sharply. Only two boundaries had been scored in the first eight overs. Nopphon changed ends and the fourth wicket fell on 40 caught at long-off.

The fifth wicket went to the first ball of the 11th over with the score on 44 but Singapore were intent on rebuilding the innings with singles and the occasional boundary. Aman Desai and Avi Dixit added 40 for the sixth wicket and Narawit Nuntarach bowled an eventful 17th over with a wicket first ball and two further possible wickets from a no ball and a free hit. Jandree Coetzee was very accurate again and Mukesh Thakur took a fourth wicket.

Singapore hit their only six in the last over to reach 115 for nine as Thakur finished with 4 for 23 as well as claiming a brilliant catch.

Daniel Jacobs was added to the Thailand team today but two of the first three overs were maiden overs as Thailand were 5 for 1 after 3 overs with Jacobs out for one in contrast to 45 for 0 against Japan.

Never fear Thailand stayed true to their previous positive approach as Chaaloemwong and Yadav were soon hitting boundaries. Thailand scored 33 in the next three overs to reach 36 for one at the end of the powerplay.

Akshay Yadav was batting sensibly but Chaloemwong was still going for his shots as Thailand were 48 for 1in eight overs and the Thai opener has just smashed a six over mid-wicket and hit another four as he was 42 off 27. Yadav was second wicket to fall caught at short third man as Thailand were 64 for 2 in the 10th over.

Thailand perservered with there chase trying to bat in a more measured manner and they had some luck with dropped catches and close run outs but Chaloemwong reached his fifty and was intent on seeing his side home to victory.

Chaloemwong made the highest score in T20is for Thailand and it came against Singapore who had often proved too strong. His 70 not out took Thailand home to a historic victory by seven wickets.

Mukesh Thakur also played his part with an amazing three wickets in the second over of the innings which put Singapore on the back foot from the start. They recovered to 115 for 9 but the target was always within range and Thailand’s batsmen held their nerve and Chaloemwong had the day of his life.