Swamibapa, Sikh Union in inaugural victory as NPCA’s league bats off

Wednesday, July 13th, 2022 01:50 | By

Nairobi Gymkhana players react during a past NPCA League match. PD/ ALEX NJUE

The much awaited 50 over 2022 Nairobi Provincial Cricket Association Super Division Championship threw off with a bang with favourites Swamibapa, Nairobi Gymkhana and Sir Ali Muslim Club all opening their campaigns with wins.

Last season runners-up Swamibapa were 70 run winners over Sikh Union A after the former posted a score of 144 runs on the board in the opening innings at Jaffrey Grounds. Swami who won the toss were heavily restricted by the Sikh Union team with Karan Trivedia (25 runs in 26 balls) being their highest scorer even as Sikh Union fast bowler Charanpreat Aidhy (3 wickets for 18 runs) emerged as the main impediment in the runs chase.

On resumption,the visitors posted only a paltry 74 runs on the board with their highest scorer Mohammed Kalyani (18 runs in 31 balls) coming from number five position in the batting order before being bowled out by Jignesh Hirani in the 23rd over.

All-rounder Trivedi had a man of the match moment on the crease with ball and bat as he collected three wickets in the second innings.

Along Forest Road in Parklands,hosts Nairobi Gymkhana survived a mighty scare against visitors Ruaraka Sports Club following the former’s one wicket win in an enthralling match at Gymkhana Grounds.

Hosts Gymkhana who won toss selecting to field in the opening innings,posted a remarkable 172 comeback in the second run with Ruaraka having posted 171 in the start with the bat. Ruaraka’s Pushpak Sharma (75 runs in 91 balls) was top scorer for the visiting side in an innings that saw Gymkhana’s Martin Okoth Ndandason (05 wickets for 34 runs) star with the ball. In the second innings,Gymkhana matched their opponents ball for ball and had top-scorer Lucas Oluoch (46 runs in 39 balls) batting to the end with his contribution including two boundaries and a sixer. In the same innings,Ruaraka Sports Club’s Vishil Patel (03 wickets for 40 runs) starred with the ball to help slow down the hosts run rate.

Meanwhile the 2021 Finalists Sir Ali Muslim Club were also in their element beating Shree Cutchi Leva by four wickets after a sensational chase in the second innings. Cutchi Leva who batted first in the opening innings set a score total of 196 on the board with Ankit Bhanderi (59 runs in 101 balls) shone with the bat with a contribution of four boundaries in his name alongside Niraj Patel (31 runs in 44 balls).

However Abdul Rehman for Muslim Club took down four wickets inside 48 runs.