McKenzie’s Samsung edge closer to Kenya Polo Open title
Phillipe Salle (left) playing for the Samsung Team vies with Philip Arunga of MICT during their Kenya International Polo Tournament match at Nairobi Polo club on September 17, 2016. PHOTO | MARTIN MUKANGU |
What you need to know:
- The tournament, one of the highlights of the Kenyan Polo season, has attracted foreign players including Brad MacGibbon (South Africa), Santi Sterling (Spain), Davy Evans (South Africa), Duncan Watson (South Africa) and South African Buster McKenzie who is a regular in the event.
- The tournament comes to a close Sunday afternoon as Samsung face Royal Salute and Samurai tackle MICT in the final matches.
Buster McKenzie’s Samsung team on Saturday cruised to a second consecutive victory to enhance their chances of winning this year’s Kenya international 12-goal polo tournament.
The tournament, one of the highlights of the Kenyan Polo season, has attracted foreign players including Brad MacGibbon (South Africa), Santi Sterling (Spain), Davy Evans (South Africa), Duncan Watson (South Africa) and South African Buster McKenzie who is a regular in the event.
McKenzie, a South African who holds a prestigious handicap 5 accounted for two goals in day’s match as team mate Mbugua Ngugi (2) accounted for three to inspire their team to a 5-1 victory over MICT.
McKenzie had scored all five goals in their 6.5-5 win over Samurai in their opening clash on Friday, and he applied his typical ferocious backhand tactics in Saturday’s match to completely lock out their opponents.
MICT managed only one goal in the match which was a 40-yard penalty scored in the third chukka by their 23-year-old captain Santi Sterling who hails from Spain.
Having lost 9-8.5 to Royal Salute in their opening match on Friday, Saturday’s result effectively ended MICT’s chances of lifting the prestigious silverware this year.
McKenzie and his team of Henry Limb (2), Mbugua Ngugi (2) and Philipe Salle (1) on the other hand are the only unbeaten side in the competition so far and are in prime position to lift the title for a third consecutive time in the final games to be played Sunday afternoon.
“It is always a good experience here in Kenya. It’s a pity this happens only once a year. I am enjoying the competition here,” McKenzie said on Saturday.
“The other competitors both local and foreign are also very strong and I am looking forward to a good final match tomorrow. I wish that the best team wins, it doesn’t have to be my team.”
In the other matches, Team Ultimate suffered a second successive defeat to Tack Rack in the subsidiary category.
Ultimate, which is composed of captain Mike Du Toit (1.5), Jamie Hayward (0.5), Mathew Nakitare (-1.5) and Miranda Romijin (-1), lost 6-4 to Tack Rack to all but end their chances of winning the title in the category.
The tournament comes to a close Sunday afternoon as Samsung face Royal Salute and Samurai tackle MICT in the final matches.
