In a weekend marred by unplayable pitch conditions, Kanbis A emerged victorious in the only Nairobi Provincial Cricket Association (NPCA) 50-Overs Super League match played, defeating T20 Champions Stray Lions by a commanding 147 runs at their Eastleigh High School home ground.
The heavy rains that pounded Nairobi later in the week rendered three of the four scheduled matches unplayable, dealing a significant blow to several title contenders.
Among the abandoned matches was the highly anticipated clash between Swamibapa A and defending champions Ruaraka A at Nairobi Jaffrey’s, a result that could potentially dent both teams’ title aspirations.
This abandonment marked the second such instance for Swamibapa A this season, a setback that might prove costly in their quest for the championship.
Similarly, Sir Ali A’s home match against Sikh Union A at Park Road and the Kongonis A versus SCLPS YL A match at Nairobi Club were called off due to poor pitch conditions.
Despite valiant efforts by the Sir Ali management to dry out their pitch using various equipment, the umpires ultimately deemed the field unplayable.
In stark contrast to these cancellations, Kanbis A’s performance stood out. Captain Dhiren Gondaria was jubilant following their decisive victory over Stray Lions.
“The boys played really well, just happy with the form all of us are in at the moment. We hope to keep doing the same thing till the last game,” Gondaria remarked with a smile.
Stray Lions opener Kavi Dosaja reflected on the challenging game.
“Today’s game was tough considering the conditions. Our captain Neil Mugabe won the toss and chose to bowl – at one moment, we reduced Kanbis to 76-5 before their overseas professionals put up a good partnership that swung the game in their favor. In our chase of the score, we lost wickets at regular intervals and could not sustain the pressure from the Kanbis bowlers, which held us back.”
Dosaja himself scored 17 off 14 balls, while Mugabe contributed 33 off 29 balls. Kanbis A, initially bowled out for 241 in 49.3 overs, seemed vulnerable. However, their bowlers rose to the occasion, dismissing Stray Lions for a mere 94 in 25.2 overs.
Sheryas Gurav was the standout performer for Kanbis A, claiming five wickets, while Emmanuel Bundi added two to his tally.
Kanbis’ middle-order batter Maxwell Swaminathan top-scored with 57 off 71 balls, supported by Sachin Bhudiya’s 39 off 22 balls and Keval Bhuva’s 42 off 40 deliveries.
However, it was a disappointing outing for Rakep Patel and skipper Dhiren Gondaria, both dismissed for just 4 runs each.
Following the weekend’s results, Swamibapa A remains atop the Super League standings on net run rate with 16 points, tied with Kanbis A and Ruaraka A.
Kanbis A, however, holds a game in hand. In the individual performance charts, Ruaraka’s Gautam Waghela and Pushkar Sharma lead the batting standings with 346 and 250 runs respectively from five innings, while Gondaria is third with 194 runs from four innings.
Meanwhile, action in the lower divisions continued at various venues. In Division Two, Stray Leopards B defeated Legends Cricket Club by four wickets at Impala Club, and Goan Institute B overcame Wolves Cricket Club B by five wickets.
In Division One, Obuya A triumphed over Sir Ali B by 78 runs, and SCLPS YL B defeated Wolves A by 72 runs. Notably, NPCA’s fixture secretary Vishal Bhojani scored a brilliant century, posting 115 off 105 balls, leading his team to a total of 315/10, with Wolves managing only 243/9 in their allotted overs.
The NPCA 50-Overs Super League continues to provide thrilling cricket action, with teams and players showcasing their talents despite the challenges posed by the weather.
As the season progresses, the competition for the title remains fierce, promising more excitement and drama in the coming weeks.
