Gem Forest make positive start at Maria Bencivenga Memorial Cup

Pure Travel's Vincent DeBrauwer and Kelvin Jumba of Gem Forest in action during Maria Bencivenga Cup at Nairobi Polo Club. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

Gem Forest defeated Pure Travel 7.5-3 to make a positive start in this year's edition of Maria Bencivenga Memorial Cup at Nairobi Polo Club yesterday.

Despite starting the match at the advantage of half fraction of a goal from their low handicap, Gem Forest emerged as the better side.

A hat-trick by Kelvin Jumba in additions to two doubles by Joe Kamau and Natasha Tisminiesky was all Gem Forest needed to seal the fate of their opponents in the one-sided match.

In between those goals was Alice Owambo who completed them with brilliant assists for her team to emerge victorious.

Jumba opened the scores in the first chukka before Tisminiesky added a double in the second chukka for the score sheet to read 3.5-1 at the end of that session.

Mbu Ngugi reduced the deficits for Pure Travel in the same (third) chukka.

Jumba finished his hat-trick with a double in the third chukka for a formidable start to open the doors for Kamau to finish his double in the same chukka.

It was a day of doubles even for Pure Travel as Fredd Kambo put through the ball twice in the third and fourth chukkas for his team but they could not manage the pace of their opponents.

Kambo had it easy from the efforts of industrious Eva Kamau and Vincent Debrauwl who were well positioned throughout the encounter.