Cricket: On-form Kanbis face Stray Lions test in NPCA League

An enthralling clash is expected on Sunday, when on-form Kanbis Sports Club ’A’ welcome a bruised Stray Lions Cricket Club ‘A’ in a Nairobi Provincial Cricket Association (NPCA) T20 Super League match at Eastleigh High School. 

A total of eight matches have been lined up for this weekend in the top flight league, with the one between the big guns being the most anticipated. 

Defending champions and leaders Kanbis will warm up for that clash with an encounter against Shree Cutchi Leva Patel Samaj (SCLPS) ‘A’ at Eastleigh High School on Saturday. 

Stray Lions, who emerged runners-up in 2015, 2016 and 2017 will not be in action that day.
On-form Sir Ali Muslim Club ‘A’ will host Obuya Academy ‘A’ at Sir Ali Muslim Ground, Nairobi Gymkhana ‘A’ will host Sikh Union ‘A’ at Nairobi Gymkhana Club, while Swamibapa Sports Club ‘A’ have a bye. 

Apart from the match between Kanbis and Stray Lions, the other contests slated for Sunday are; Swamibapa against Ruaraka Sports Club ’A’, at Jaffrey Sports Club, Obuya versus SCLPS at Lenana School, and Sikh Union versus Sir Ali at Sikh Union Club. Gymkhana will have a bye.

Unbeaten Kanbis hope to maintain their momentum in the title race by registering impressive wins in the two matches. 

They have won all their matches thus far – defeating Gymkhana, Obuya and Sikh Union by 38 runs, 10 wickets and 77 runs respectively. 

The defending champions top the standings in the nine-team league with 12 points, beating unbeaten Sir Ali for the top spot thanks to a better run rate.

Captain Dhiren Gondaria, Rakep Patel, Kerai Nischay, Emmanuel Bundi, Narendra Patel, national men’s team acaptain Sachin Bhudia and Harshit Vekaria as some of the Kanbis’ players, whom all eyes will be on in the two matches, having been instrumental in the team’s bright start of the competition. 

Rakep Patel led Kanbis to their victory over Gymkhana with his 92 runs off 48 balls with an impressive 16 boundaries. 

Nischay led in restricting Gymkhana’s chase by taking three wickets. Against Obuya, Narendra Patel and Gondaria were not-out, delivering 82 runs off 37 balls with 14 boundaries and 64 runs off 26 balls with 12 balls respectively. 

Bundi picked four wickets in the match. 

In their clash against Sikh Union, Gondaria, Sachin Bhudia and Vekaria scored the most runs at 42, 34 and 44 runs respectively. 

Bundi and Kerai added two wickets each to their names.

For Sir Ali, they will be hoping that former national team captain Shem Ngoche will again be on top of his game to guide them to their first victory of the season. 

In their opening match of the competition last weekend against Sir Ali, Ngoche starred with 93 runs off 52 balls with 14 boundaries but it was not enough to give Stray Lions a winning start. Sir Ali won the match with 39 runs. 

SCLPS, Gymkhana and Obuya are the other teams with no wins yet in the competition.

Fixtures

Saturday's matches (all start at 2:30pm)

Kanbis A v SCLPS A, Eastleigh High School

Sir ALI A v Obuya Academy A, Sir Ali Muslim Ground 

Nairobi Gymkhana A v Sikh Union A, Nairobi Gymkhana 

Swamibapa A, bye

Sunday matches (all start at 2pm)

Kanbis A v Stray Lions A, Eastleigh High School

Swamibapa A v Ruaraka A, Jaffrey  Sports Club

Obuya Academy A v SCLPS A, Lenana School

Sikh Union A v Sir Ali A, Sikh Union Club

Nairobi Gymkhana A, bye