Stray Lions Sports Club ended Swamibapa’s unbeaten run in the Nairobi Provincial Cricket Association (NPCA) League at the weekend.
Stray Lions won by three wickets with fifteen balls to spare. The match saw Morris Ouma record his maiden century, finishing on 124 runs off 151 deliveries.
Ouma scalped 3-04 in three overs and a run-out to leave the hosts bowled out at 7/123 before Ouma and Elijah Otieno (36) cracked up a 117-run seventh wicket stand.
Alex Obanda was on his usual explosive form before Sushant Ashok trapped him on a run-a-ball 32. Stray Lions were brazen in their run-chase, David Obuya falling first, albeit controversially, with the score on 77.
Abraham Vadada’s pinch hitting was cut short when Nehemiah Odhiambo returned for his second spell on 49 runs. His skipper Collins Obuya departed on 47 runs, both having accounted for eight boundaries each.
READ MORE
Kirimi powers to glory at VetLab Club event
Nairobi Utd, Tusker and Police chase FKF Cup semi-final spots
KCB, Kabras Sugar storm into Kenya Cup final
Kabras face surprise package Blak Blad test in Kenya Cup semis
It took a stellar batting by Bilal Habib (33) and Sushant Ashok (32 not out) to steer Stray Lions to victory in the greatest upset of the league. The Ngoche siblings, Nehemiah and James picked a brace each for Swamibapa while Collins Obuya (2/43) and Maurice Odumbe (3/36) starred for Stray Lions.
At Premier Club, Sikh Union escaped the host’s snare to sneak a six-wicket win with three balls to spare in the rain affected match reduced to 38 overs.
Sent in to bat, Premier Club battled their way to 238/7 in the allotted overs, as Ronak Patel’s fine innings were cut short two runs to the century mark by Hamza Amir.
Parth Patel (31) and Arpan Patel (30) were the other run-getters for the hosts as Hamza Amir and Nadeem Ahmed bagged the wickets for the visiting neighbours.
Jatin Patel claimed three wickets for Premier Club to win the match with their opponents at 4/44 before the bowlers were pummeled for 197 runs in an unbeaten fifth wicket partnership between Zaheed Abbas and Nadeem Ahmed. Abbas was left stranded on a 95-ball 99 while Ahmed reached his ton off 85 balls.
Kanbis Sports Club stretched their lead at the top of the table, scooping 20 points against Nairobi Gymkhana in their 248-run victory.
Dhiren Gondaria looked set for a return to the national side with a scintillating century (101 off 83) as Kanbis raced to 358/8.
His second wicket partnership with Aezaz Kothariya (76) yielded 112 runs before Kothariya was run out by harsh Patel.
Vinod Rabadia wasted no time in sending seven deliveries to the boundary and one airborne to cop up 57 runs off 33 balls.
Lucas Oluoch bagged 4/67 off ten overs while Thomas Odoyo (30) and Karan Kaul (27) yielded with the blade for Nairobi Gymkhana. Pushpak Kerai continued to spin a good fortune to walk away with three wickets. Jagdish Khetani (3/33) and Narendra Patel 2/02 were the other wicket takers for Kanbis.
