Kericho Win First Akshar Semi-Final

Eldoret met league winners Kericho at the NCA ground on Sunday for the first semi-final of the Akshar League. Akshar A meet Akshar B next week to decide the other finalist. Kericho won the toss and had no hesitation in electing to bat on a warm, sunny day. Both teams have the same aggressive approach to the game, so it was always on the card that the team winning the toss would try to put a big total on the board to put pressure on the opposition.

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Tejas gave Eldoret an excellent start bowling a great first 5 overs. He bowled Dipu with an slower off cutter delivery and next ball beat Jignesh for pace with an out swinger that was edged to the keeper who dropped a lollypop. Eldoret will be rueing the decision to field a novice wicketkeeper in the semi-finals as Jignesh then went on a rampage. He hit six 6s and twelve 4s on his way to 124 not out from 103 balls. In the end, it was only fatigue that could put the brakes on and he was forced to retire. Despite Eldoret managing to remove several of the other Kericho batsmen cheaply, Jignesh's century - the first of the tournament, meant that Kericho went into the break with a total of 234 all out.

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Eldoret's reply got off to a disasterous start with both openers caught on the boundary trying to make an early dent in the required run rate. It was a situation they were never able to climb out of, and though Bhavin made a fighting 36 late on in the innings, it was too little too late as Kericho bowled them out for 119 to secure their place in the finals. Man of the match Jignesh chipping in with 3 wickets to add to his superb batting effort.

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Eldoret, who forfeited two matches during the league stage may now be regretting that they did not play and wishing they had got themselves into a position to play either of the Akshar teams instead. Kericho have two weeks to prepare for the final which will most likely be against Akshar A. A great effort by them, and if Sunday was anything to go by, they will go into that match as red hot favourites.

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SCORECARD:

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Kericho Innings:
Dipu.................Bowled..............Tejas.............00
Pinakin............Bowled...............Rakesh..........25
Jignesh............Retired....................................124*
Dipesh Praj.....Bowled..............Vishal.............13
Virag...............Ct..Dharmesh....Tejas..............15
Lalji.................Ct..Dharmesh....Tejas.............00
Akshay.............Bowled..............Ketan.............02
Nitesh.............Ct..Yogesh..........Bhavin...........19
Dilpesh............Bowled...............Vishal............00
Vipul...............Run Out....................................01
Rashmi...........Not Out.....................................00
Extras................................................................35
Total......All...Out..............................................234
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Eldoret Innings:
Chetan............Ct..Virag.............Pinakin.........00
Tejas...............Ct..Virag.............Pinakin.........04
Ketan..............Bowled................Nitesh...........07
Dharmesh......Ct..Dipesh...........Nitesh...........07
Vishall.............Run Out...................................00
Rakesh............Ct..Lalji...............Rashmi..........13
Nikunj............Bowled................Jignesh.........00
Bhavin............Ct..Dipesh..........Jignesh..........36
Ritesh.............Ct..&..B................Rashmi.........11
Swapnesh.......Bowled................Jignesh.........00
L.Vekaria........Bowled................Rashmi.........00
Extras.................................................................41
Total...All...Out.................................................119

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Note: Not sure why 11 wickets seem to have been taken by Kericho. I can only assume one of the latter ones was in fact not out.