Cricket of Monday, 16 February 2004
Source: GNA
Accra, Feb. 16, GNA - Ghana's senior national cricket team is set to salvage its image on Tuesday as it clashes with the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) in the final of a four-match international friendlies at Accra Polo Grounds.
The visitors defeated the under-19 squad at the Achimota Oval on the first day and on the subsequent two days, beat the national senior team.
MCC won the first match 190 runs in 38.4 overs while the Ghanaians who were a pale shadow of their former selves only managed 93 runs all out with just 22 overs.
On the second day MCC made a total of 228 runs for 10 wickets in 48.1 overs while Ghana made 126 runs for 10 wickets in 38.2 overs. As the Ghanaian senior team thought they had gotten their rhythms right to make amends in the third game, they surprisingly lost by five wickets - MCC scored 152 runs for 4 wickets while Ghana managed 149 in 35 overs. The MCC, responsible for making the laws of cricket, is the world's most famous cricket club. They will depart for Gambia for a similar exercise on Wednesday, January 18, and are also billed to tour Morocco in October this year.
It was founded in 1787, and controlled the sport as well as its most popular venue until it was taken over by the International Cricket Council. Being the "mother" of cricket, the MCC, as part of its yearly itinerary selects few countries around the globe to engage in some matches, as well as help develop the sport especially among young people. A year after its formation, the MCC laid down the code of laws, requiring the wickets to be pitched 22 yards apart and initiated how players could be given out.