Winning start for Samurai at Kenya International Championships

Kifaru's Rowena Stichbury and Jamie Excell and Jadini Nzomo of Twiga during a three days Soldier's Salute tournament at Nairobi Polo club on Sunday, Jan 24, 2021. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

Samurai squeezed a 7-6.5 win over Tusker Malt Lager as the 6-Goal Kenya International Championships/Subsidiary Cup hit-off at Nairobi Polo Club yesterday.

Experienced Callum Shaw starred for Samurai with a score of six goals in the final three chukkas as Jadini Nzomo returned one for the victors to make a formidable start at the tournament that allowed the visiting South African polo team to test the Kenyan horses.

South African captain handicap 4 Chris Lund scored a double to shoot Tasker Malt Lager into the lead in the first chukka but Shaw replied with a double and Jadini scored another one for the comeback in the second chukka.

Lund was at it again in the second chukka for the two teams to tie 3-3 at the end of the chukka.

Having started the match at the advantage of half fraction of a goal from their low handicap, Lund returned three more goals in the third and fourth chukkas having been supported by Kenyan trio of Jonathan Stichbury, Nikki Ngugi and Izzy Stichbury.

Stung by that show, Shaw made a strong comeback to shoot four more goals in the same chukkas, two in each chukka to narrowly win the match with one and a fraction of a goal.

In the second match, Kenya international Casimir Gross led TML to victory as he scored five goals in the 8-5.5 win over MICT.

William Crowe was the only South African in the match. He played for MICT side and scored a goal in the first chukka before Callum Shaw who replaced  Mbu Ngugi saved his team (MICT) from a heavy defeat with three out of the five goals in what turned out to be one of the most entertaining matches of the day.

Mina Stiernblad scored MICT's fifth goal in the fourth chukka before Georgina Millar increased the tally with a double for TML as Ed Burbrige returned one to put the match beyond the reach of the MICT.