Kanbis retain Nairobi league title
Kanbis Cricket Club captain, Rajesh Bhudia, leads his teammates in celebration with the Nairobi Province Cricket Association Twenty20 Super League trophy after his team beat Nairobi Gymkhana Cricket Club by 15 runs in the final at Sikh Union grounds, Nairobi on February 24, 2019. PHOTO | CHRIS OMOLLO |
What you need to know:
- Jayant played in the same team with his father, Ramesh Mepani
- The trophy for the best batsman in the league was taken by Nairobi Gymkhana’s Rushab Patel who got 383 runs in 10 innings that included 20 sixes.
Kanbis on Sunday beat Nairobi Gymkhana by 15 runs to retain the Nairobi Provincial Cricket Association (NPCA) Twenty20 Super Division title at Sikh Union grounds in Nairobi.
Batting first, Kanbis set a target of 176 for the loss of five wickets in their allotted 20 overs. Ankit Hirani (42 off 29 balls with four boundaries and a six) top-scored for Kanbis.
Sachin Bhudia who was unbeaten on 36 that came off 23 balls with five boundaries, Ramesh Mepani (29 off 20 balls with three boundaries and a sic), Rajesh Bhudiya (27 off 22 balls with two boundaries), Rakep Patel who was unbeaten on 16 that came off 10 balls with a boundary and a six were Kanbis’ batsmen who posted meaningful runs on the scoreboard.
Both Sachin and Rakep shared unbeaten sixth wicket partnership of 33 runs, the best stand for the side.
Nairobi Gymkhana wickets were share among Raj Savala (1/12), Siddarthasinh Vijaysinh (1/26), Amish Amin (1/25) and Lucas Oluoch (1/29).
Gymkhana fought back
In reply, Gymkhana batsmen gallantly fought back, scoring 160 all out by the time they completed their allotted 20 overs. At one point, the game was in Gymkhana’s hands, but it slipped through their fingers when Sachin Bhudia had Oluoch (37 off 18 balls with three boundaries and same number of sixes) had Oluoch caught by Dhiren. Oluoch had caused a scare in Kanbis camp with his towering six.
Oluoch was also Gymkhana’s highest runs getter. Martin Okoth, who was unbeaten on 30 that came off 17 balls with two boundaries and a six, Siddarthasinh with a run a ball 21 that included a boundary, Rushab Patel (20 off 14 balls with two boundaries and a six) and Kavi Dosaja (19 off 12 balls with two boundaries and a six) were Gymkhana’s batsmen who posted double-digit figures on the scoreboard for their team.
Kanbis’ wicket takers were Dhiren (2/16), Sachin (2/18), Nischay Kerai (2/27), Pushpak Kerai (2/35) and Jayant Mepani 1/16).
The 19-year-old Jayant was the highest runs-getter of the tournament with 23 wickets. Jayant was in Kenya Under-19 squad that competed in last year’s age-group World Cup in New Zealand, where he was vote man-of-the match against Papua New Guinea.
Jayant played in the same team with his father, Ramesh Mepani
The trophy for the best batsman in the league was taken by Nairobi Gymkhana’s Rushab Patel who got 383 runs in 10 innings that included 20 sixes.
