TWIN SUCCESS: Masai Mara Tuskers shine at Samsung Cricket tourney

Maasai Mara Tuskers recorded a double after they won the main and the over-40 event during the South Indian Cultural Society Samsung cricket competition at the Nairobi Gymkhana.

They beat Coast Super Kings by seven wickets in the final to be crowned new champions on Sunday.
Maasai Mara achieved their second victory in the tournament after they defeated Mount Kenya Chargers by three runs in the over-40 category tournament to emerge victorious.
In women’s competition, Team Cauveri beat Krishna by seven wickets in the final to lift the crown.

In the first match, Coast Super Kings were 82 all out in 24.1 overs and Tuskers reached the target of 83 runs with in 16.3 overs in allotted 40 runs.
It was a good revenge for Tuskers as they had lost their preliminary match two weeks ago at the same venue.
Praveen Rao was the top scorer for Coast with 23.
Rao and Anand Ranganathan had put on an opening stand of 17 before Joncy Thomas struck in the fifth over to remove Ranganathan.

Praveen Kumar (8) and Arun Balaran (20 followed immediately to leave their side on 47 for 3 in 9.5 overs thanks to Siva.
Things got worse from here as Rao joined Siva’s victim after being caught behind with scores on 60 after 13.2 overs.

Ramakrishnan Hariharan was bowled by Bravesh Shettty for 2.
Ritesh Pamnabni was the fourth wicket for Siva when he was trapped lbw for no run after two balls to leave his side on 67 for 6.
After the performance of Siva who conceded 17 runs from his 8 overs, Kings batsmen hanged on thread and managed to stick on the wicket for seven more overs to finish on 82.

Thomas ended with 2 for 27 after adding the wicket of Alfred Selverajah. Shetty bagged the wicket of Venkata Suresh to finish with 2 for 5.
Mara’s run chase began gallantly with openers Thanu Moorthi and Shijaz Ahmed putting on a stand of 36 for the first wicket in 5.4 overs.
The stand was broken by Thabith Kaja who had Ahmed caught for 9 off 17 balls.
Moorthi and John Joy then made nine for the second wicket before Joy was trapped lbw for 2 off 8 balls.
Moorthi and Bhavish Shetty got the scores to 58 before he was caught off Praveen Mogasati for 25.

Shetty made 29 not out as he remained unbeaten after a stand of 25 for the fourth wicket with Roshan Paul who made 8 off 14.
In the veterans tournament (over-40), Tuskers, who won the toss and elected to field had a bright start before Raja Sekhar and Karnam Ramesh put in 28 and 25 respectively to push the Chargers to a total of 117 for 9 in the allotted 20 overs.
In reply, Super Kings were at 40 for 3 before Kandaswamy steadied the ship with 28 runs from 30 balls.
He fell to Nagababu andhis side could only manage 114 in 20 overs, handing victory to the Mount Kenya Chargers.