NPCA League: Leaders Obuya Academy suffer second loss
Obuya Academy's Atharvar Tembhekar (front) plays a delivery under pressure from Ruaraka A Wicket keeper Chandresh Hirani during their Nairobi Province Cricket Association T20 Tournament on February 20, 2022.
What you need to know:
- He congratulated his young and promising bowlers Gerald Mwendwa, David Mutua and Andrew Mboya.
- Mwendwa picked two wickets and conceded 16 runs in eight overs, while Mutua was a bit expensive with 15 runs in three overs.
- Mboya picked two wickets and conceded 11 runs. Stray Lions opening batsman Shubham Jadhav scored an unbeaten 52 runs from 49 balls.
Obuya Academy A’s captain Collins Omondi says they should not be written off in the Nairobi Provincial Cricket Association (NPCA) 50 Overs Super League title race despite two successive losses in the competition.
On Sunday, leaders Obuya, who are on 28 points, lost by seven wickets to defending champions Stray Lions Cricket Club A at Lenana School.
In other matches of the weekend, Kanbis Sports Club A defeated Sikh Union A by 46 runs at Sikh Union Club, while Shree Cutchi Leva Patel Samaj (SCLPS) A continued with their revival with a slim one wicket victory over Swamibapa Sports Club A at Nairobi Jaffrey Sports Club.
Hosts Sir Ali Muslim Club A thrashed Nairobi Ghymkhana A by 10 wickets at Sir Ali Muslim Club Grounds.
Being well vast with the Lenana School Cricket Ground, hosts Obuya decided to bat after winning the toss. They set a target of 86 runs all-out in 30.1 overs of their innings.
Stray Lions successfully chased the score, hitting 90 runs for the loss of three wickets in 16.1 overs of their innings.
Omondi blamed their loss on the absence of three key players in their squad – Kennedy Obuya, Kennedy Wangoi and Saavir Karania.
The trio are with Under-19 men’s team in Nigeria for the ongoing 2024 International Cricket Council (ICC) Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup Africa Division Two qualifiers.
He said they will bounce back and continue with their fight for the title. Ruaraka Sports Club A are currently their closest challenger at position two with 26 points and have two matches in hand.
“We were missing three key players in that match (against Stray Lions). We did not bat well, especially our first four partnerships. But we still have the chance of winning this title and we will go for it,” vowed Omondi.
Last weekend, they fell by five wickets to Kanbis at Eastleigh High School. Stray Lions coach David Asiji attributed their win to hard work and discipline.
"The toss didn't go our way, but we just worked hard, maintaining our disciplined bowling attack in order to restrict our opponents who were trying to fly the ball over the covers to a low score.
It was a sweet victory since they also punished us in our own backyard in the beginning of the season,” said Asiji.
He congratulated his young and promising bowlers Gerald Mwendwa, David Mutua and Andrew Mboya.
Mwendwa picked two wickets and conceded 16 runs in eight overs, while Mutua was a bit expensive with 15 runs in three overs.
Mboya picked two wickets and conceded 11 runs. Stray Lions opening batsman Shubham Jadhav scored an unbeaten 52 runs from 49 balls.
