Kenyan teams face tricky situation as rain force play abandonment at the East African Cricket tournament

Dominic Wesonga of Ndovu Express bats against Nile Knights in the 50-Overs East African Cricket tournament at Simba Union Club yesterday. [PHOTO: MARTIN MUKANGU/STANDARD]

By OSCAR PILIPILI

Second round fixtures in the 50 overs East African Cricket tournament were rained off at Nairobi Jaffery and Simba Union grounds.

The competition saw the match between Rwenzori Warriors and Rising Stars Chui and Knight versus Express Ndovu being rained off in Nairobi. Warriors and Knights booked a place to the semi-finals by virtue of having won their respective opening matches.

The match between Uganda’s Warriors and Chui that had started three hours late and reduced to 30 overs was called off just after 10 overs when heavens opened up at Nairobi Jaffery.

At Simba, the match was called off with only 2.5 overs of the second inning bowled as Kenya’s Express Ndovu were chasing 177 to win after Uganda’s second franchise Warriors who had made 176 runs for nine.

The four teams were forced to share two points each, which puts the Kenyan sides in a tricky situation with only one game remaining.

Warriors and Knights are currently placed top of their groups with six points, having secured wins over I&M Bank Nyati and Sameer Simbas last Saturday.

With yesterday’s outcome, Ugandan franchises are through to the semi-finals and will be waiting for the outcome of next weekend’s matches between Sameer Simba versus Express Ndovu and Rising Stars Chuis against I&M Bank Nyatis to know their opponents.

Kenyan sides will need to win at all costs to make it to the last four. But in case the matches are abandoned then Rising Stars and Express Ndovu will sail trough.

At the time the match was stopped at Jaffery, Jonathan Ssebanja had bowled out Irfan Karim (11) and Alpesh Vadher (0) and Charles Waiswa had Charles Waiswa and David Maina caught on four.

At Simba Union, Dominic Wesonga scored unbeaten 69 runs from 115 balls as Express Ndovu recovered from 46 for five to post a competitive 176.

Asadu Seiga and Davis Arinaitwe got Ugandans to the best possible start removing Maninder Singh (13), Gurdeep Singh (2), Rajesh Varsani (17) and Peter Kituku (7) to put the home side in big trouble at 46 for 4.

They were immediately hit strongly when Deus Muhumuza had captain Rakep Patel caught on one three balls later to leave them on 46 for 5.

But the inning was revived by Wesonga and Abraham Vadada (38) who put on 42 for the sixth wicket before Vadada was caught off Arinaitwe.

Frank Nsubuga picked three wickets off Lucas Oluoch (6), Gautam Bhudia (0) and Paramveer Singh (0) to finish with best figures of three for 19.

Wesonga hit eight boundaries and one in the stands (six) as he remained unbeaten alongside Peter Koech who made three from 16 balls.