Fierce contest in cricket tournaments

By Feverpitch Team

Today’s (Saturday) clash at the Rift Valley Sports Club will be fiercely contested between the Rift Valley Rhinos and Kongonis as the Crown Berger regional cricket tournaments enter the 10th week.

A win for either side will guarantee second spot and a place in the final if table toppers Rwenzori Warriors continue their impressive run and beat Nile Knights in a top of the table clash scheduled for Kampala at the same time.

Kongonis will go into the match as favourites despite losing the first leg tie to their opponents at Nairobi Club on the opening weekend, but they will be wary of the threat posed by the Rhinos who have also beaten Rwenzori Warriors and will be buoyed by the chance to contest the final if they win and other results go their way.

Kongonis Nicholas Oluoch (left) and Nile Knights’ batsman Asandli Segiya during their East Africa Premier League match against Kongoni at the Nairobi Club. [PHOTO: STAFFORD ONDEGO/STANDARD]

Meanwhile, the message for Nile Knights will be really simple, win your games against Rwenzori Warriors this weekend and make both finals. It will not matter who else does what, they just need to secure all the points on offer. The Warriors on their part will be playing for pride on Saturday having qualified for the finals, but they have to avoid defeat on Sunday to make it a double.

The Cricket Tours Africa sponsored Nairobi Buffaloes franchise will host the disappointing Coast Pekee at Nairobi Gymkhana in a clash that will have no bearing as far as a finals place in their of the two East African Cricket Competitions are concerned.

The Buffaloes hold the upper hand in this clash which they claimed the reverse fixture in Mombasa on match day one and they had looked title contenders before they endured a disappointing run that has seen them locked out of both finals.

SQUADS:

Rift Valley Rhinos: J Angara (Player Coach), H Varaiya (Capt), D Obuya, J Ochieng’, R Mepani, L Nightingale, R Khetiya, P Ongondo, A Singh, M Sanghani, I Akello, H Vekaria, A Patel, H Angila.

Kongonis: K Obuya (Player Coach), R Patel (Capt), G Brown, R Bhudiya, D Wesonga, E Ringera, Kennedy Ochieng’, N Oluoch, A Shukla, P Singh, A Rehman, B Oluga, D Gondaria

Rwenzori Warriors: L Ssematimba (capt), R Mukasa, R Ssemanda, I Thawithemwire, S Ssesazi, A Raza, M Ondeko, M Shafeek, A Alema, N Singh, A Lubega, B Masaba, S Kamal, H Ssenyondo, C Waiswa, J Sebanja, A Otwani, A Baig, I Suleiman, A Seguya, I Kakande, D Musoke. Coach: H Okecho

Nile Knights: D Arinaitwe (capt), A Kyobe, F Nsubuga, A Saleh, B Musoke, D Muhumuza, J Patel, D Ruyange, D Tabby, A Seiga, S Chunara, F Isabirye, A Ziraba, R Otim, M Otiti, T Erumuka, D Musali, N Kebba, A Suleiman, I Baidhu, N Bibodi, A Patel. Coach: Martin Suji.

Fixtures: Saturday

RV Rhinos v Kongonis EAPL RV S Club

R Warriors v Nile Knights EAPL Lugogo

Buffaloes v Coast Pekee EAPL Nbi Gym
Tomorrow

RV Rhinos v Kongonis EAC RV SC

Rwenzori v Nile Knights EAC Lugogo

Buffaloes v Coast Pekee EAC Nbi Gym