Margate CC return for the their third tilt at the CM Sixes tournament. After failing to win a game in their first tournament, the small club from Southern Tasmania shocked the cricketing world by winning the Bromley Shield in 2017. Displaying Steven Bradbury like prowess to get to the final, everything just went right on the big day and many celebrations ensued at our home away from home - "My Place Lounge".
This year sees "Dicko" make his first tour with Margate and the team looks forward to providing him with our team's traditional welcoming ceremony. Unfortunately, two of our regulars ("Ecca" and "Faz") are unable to attend this year due to injury but have vowed to return in 2019 bigger and better than ever (well bigger at least maybe!). With last year's player of the finals (Ringo) attending but also under and injury cloud and our local superstar Hugh Williams' availability limited due to his teaching commitments, Margate have called on two of last years winning Kashmir team to bolster our lineup - Burhan and Ismail. Club and third tour veterans "Fossil" and "BJ" round out the squad and will be hoping that the other guys can carry them - both on the field and home if they have had too much to drink! Lastly, our secret weapon for this year - "Gravedigger" - this man knows nothing about cricket but has kindly offered to come along with the team and act as drinks waiter ... the main concern being that he might be sent to get 10 beers and only return with 5!
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Anthony "Dicko" Dickson
38 years old but feeling 21 when surrounded by this team. Youngest member of the squad looking to go Bang! on his first trip to Thailand. Permanent member of the Margate B-Grade team due to lack of a C-Grade team. His ambitions of playing at a higher level were dealt a cruel blow, some years ago, when he was diagnosed as not any good at cricket. Brings to Chiang Mai some solid 50 over form with a batting average that threatens to hit double figures any season now. Could do some damage with the ball......to the windows of neighbouring buildings after being belted by opposition batsmen. Looking forward to giving the local Chiang Mai bars a significant boost in revenue for the duration of the tournament. Odds on favourite to still be intoxicated when playing morning games.
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Brett "BJ" Johnstone (c)
Team veteran and captain who along with "Fossil" are returning for their third tournament. With "Ecca" unable to make the trip this year, BJ takes over the gloves - the drop off in standard of keeping more than offset by the improvement in our bowling attack (the old "addition by subtraction" rule coming into effect with BJ removed from the bowling attack). Likely to float in the batting order as required and also likely to float from bar to bar (whether required or not). Has insisted on not risking injury for this trip by limiting himself to 4 games for the season for Margate (can't overdo these things) often with a month off between games to recover.
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Burhan Bhatt
A very talented and passionate cricketer, he is known as master of swing bowling in Chiangmai. Also an excellent fielder, he can pull off some amazing moments in the field. The first of our two "ring ins" from last year's winning Kashmir side. Currently playing for the "All Stars" in the local Chiang Mai league so we know he will be in form and ready to go.
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Clint "Ringo" Stewart
Last year's player of the finals was in serious danger of never leaving Chiang Mai after loving his first trip last year so much. Getting him to commit to a second tour was never in doubt. Has been our A grade captain this year but stupidly decided to dive in a fielding drill just prior to our finals campaign which leaves him under an injury cloud heading into this tournament (really needs to learn the tried and proven method for fielders in their 40s ... just pretend you are trying hard but "escort" the ball to the boundary and relay it back in - none of this "new age" diving crap!). Hoping the scans go well next week as the team is stronger with him in than out (and allows the most hung over player to sit and recover rather than bake in the sun!). Well known for his "alternative" dress sense at times, you can guarantee he will have an awesome tour regardless of how many games he is able to play.
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Graeme "Fossil" Young
As the grandfather of the team many of his younger team mates back in Margate call him fossil although some have said many fossils in museums are more recent. Graeme is on his third trip to the Sixes. As a lightening fast opening bowler Graeme finds it difficult to understand why keepers insist on standing up to the wicket. He doesn’t believe the ‘it will not carry any further’ excuse is accurate. Does have the claim to fame of being the only man to get Ubaid out last tournament but flatly denies the rumours that he refers to Ubaid as "my bunny"!
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Hugh "Mr Hugh" Williams
Local gun-for-hire (well more of a loan than a hire really as the team refuses to part with it's allocated drinking funds to be blessed with his presence!) Hugh ‘Mr Hugh’ Williams returns from his other life as a local international school Principal to again don the green and red of Margate CC. Still shaking from the shock of pulling in a Bromley Shield last year, Mr Hugh hopes all homework is done, tests passed and that he doesn’t need to bat again this year. Having had so much unrewarded success with his slower ball in the local CM league, Mr Hugh is set to roll it out 6 times an over this year in what could be very good news for opposition teams.
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Ismail
The second of our two "ring ins" from last year's winning Kashmir side. Also currently playing for the "All Stars" in the local Chiang Mai league where he is the leading run scorer with 206 runs from 4 games. Also a very good bowler, he has performed at a high level for a number of years at the Chiang Mai Sixes and is well regarded by all that know him.
