Cricket: Unstoppable champs Kanbis maintain unbeaten run

Bowler Akshey Bhanderi of Kanbis during NUMI Cricket challenge organized by Obuya Cricket Academy and Starfield Sports on Sunday, July 15, 2017. [By Jonah Onyango]

Stray Lions in unsteady campaign  

Top four sides will battle it out in the knockout stage for a place in next month’s final.

Nairobi Provincial Cricket Association (NPCA) T20 defending champions Kanbis Sports Club yesterday maintained their winning streak with a nine-wicket win over Shree Cutchi Leva Patel Samaj (SCLPS) at Eastleigh High School.

Kanbis, who are also the Super Elite 50-Overs league champions, are hoping to begin 2019 on a high with a successful defence of their title in the shorter version of the game.

Fielding first, Kanbis bowlers were on fire dismissing SCLPS for 70 in 16.1 overs.

Jayant Mepani staged a brilliant performance with the ball taking three wickets and only conceded 17 runs.

Kenya international Nelson Odhiambo and Nischay Kerai took two wickets each while Pushpak Kerai, who is also a regular in the senior men’s national team, took one.

Odhiambo’s bowling was too good for SCLPS batsmen that he only conceded one run in the low-scoring encounter.

Having set an attainable target, 33 balls are all Kanbis needed to ease to their fifth victory.

Opener’s Dhiren Gondaria and Rajesh Budhiya set Kanbis on path to victory with an opening partnership but Harshin Varsani got Bhudiya caught in the third over.

Bhudiya’s dismissal paved way for Hiren Kabaria who together with Gondaria delivered Kanbis' fifth win.

Gondaria, who has also been impressive for the national team, smashed four boundaries and two sixes for a total of 33 not out while contribution of 13 completed Kanbis' chase of SCLPS 70 scoring 71 for the loss of one wicket.

On Saturday, Kanbis defeated Obuya Academy by eight wickets to steady their defence campaign.

Former champions Swamibapa also maintained their perfect run with a runs win over struggling Stray Lions at Jaffery’s Sports Club, Nairobi.

The Swamis, who are seeking to reclaim the title they lost to Kanbis last year, had on Saturday registered a slim three runs win over Ruaraka Sports Club.

Against Stray Lions, national team wicketkeeper Irfan Karim hit a half ton to spur Swamibapa to victory. Karim was superb cracking the edge 11 times for seven boundaries and four sixes for 61 runs of 33 balls.

Unbeaten Mitesh Sanghani missed the half century mark by five runs while James Ngoche and Alex Obanda added 31 and 24 runs as Swamibapa scored 173 runs for the loss of six wickets in their innings setting a target of 174 for Stray Lions.

Trouble seemed imminent for Stray Lions who were chasing their third win of the season as their top order of Nadeem Ahmed, Shem Ngoche and Nitin Arvind collapsed.

Jadavji Bhimji dismissed the opening duo of Ahmed (9) and Ngoche (6) before Emmanuel Bundi eliminated Arvind for a duck.

Rajiv Sutaria scored 42 runs but his effort was not good enough to save Stray Lions from their third loss as they were bowled out for 123 in the 19th over.