Swamibapa consolidate with win over Simba Union

Swamibapa Cricket Club (18 points) outclassed Simba Union(nil point) by 9 wickets yesterday at Premier Club in the ongoing NPCA Super League to consolidate their position at the top of the table. The match which was reduced to 35 overs due to heavy overnight rains was umpired by Subhash modi and Shanti Patel.

Swamibapa Captain Morris Ouma won the toss and elected to field first, a decision that paid dividends as they bowled out Simba Union for only 86 runs in 23.3 overs thanks to fine bowling performances by Elijah Otieno (pictured right in action V Ireland) who took 4 wickets for 19 runs, Nehemaiah Odhiambo (3/17), and James Otieno (3/28).
Simba Union's top scorers were Vijay Jotangia with impressive 28 and Sukbinder Sigh 14.

Swamibapa's opening batsmen Morris Ouma(43 not Out) and francis Otieno(31) put on the match winning first wicket partnership of 84 runs. Swamibapa scored the required runs - 88 for the loss of one wicket.

An incident free match was watched by Kenya's New Cricket Coach,Eldine Baptiste, CEO of Cricket Kenya Tom Tikolo, NPCA Secretary John Moyi and IT Manager of CK(Analysist) Tota Srinivas along other cricketers. Premier Club Groundsmen must be given credit for their hard work by ensuring the game takes place despite wet patches on the pitch and square early in the day.

We are still waiting to hear further results and will update accordingly.

Odhiambo leads way as Swamibapa win

Early reports coming in from the first round of the NPCA League:

SUPER DIV:
Swamibapa starts on a high note beating Kanbis B by 173 runs: Nehemiah Odhiambo hitting a deserved 101 with 8 sixes and 5 fours with a supportive 60 from Kenya Captain Maurice Ouma and Shem Obando’s 25 helping Swamibapa to 254. Bowling honours for Kanbis were shared by Captain Gopal Vekaria 3/59 and Rohit Vekaria 2/53.

Odhiambo (pictured during the recent Intercontinental cup match v Ireland - photo courtesy Cricket Europe) then went on to take 6 wickets for 26 as his brother, James Ngoche, picked up 3 for 10 runs as Kanbis B faltered to 81 all out. Mansukh Jessani (16) and Jagdish Khetani (16) were the best of the Kanbis batsmen.
Report – Joseph Angara (Swamibapa), Subhash Modi (Umpire)

Simba Union won against Sir Ali by 7 wickets. Sir Ali won the toss and elected to bat scoring 127, a total that Simba chased down in just 19 overs.
Report – Abdulqadir Najmi (Simba Union)

Straylions A played its first match with Sri Cutchi Leva Patel Samaj in the Super League at Peponi School. SCLPS won the toss and elected to field first. David Obuya and Steve Tikolo opened the batting and they made a huge opening partnership of 266 in 36 overs. David Obuya got out for 77 and Steve Tikolo 170. Stray Lions' other main contributor was Peter Kituku who scored 29. Stray Lions ended with 346/6 in 50 overs. SCLPS started the batting after lunch and were all out for 142 in 23 overs. Darshit Shah took 5 Wickets, Hiren Varaiya took 3 wickets, Josphet Ababu and Andrew Mboya took one each.
Report - Thota Sreenivas (Stray Lions)

Kanbis A 252 (Rajesh Varsani 59, Arvind Halai 37, Ramesh Mepani 32, Vikram ? 2-44, Paul Anjere 2-50, Alfred Luseno 2-52)
beat Telca 206 (Thomas Odoyo 43, Newton Muthee 33, Prasanth ? 33, Rakep Patel 3-13, Rikesh Hirani 3-36, Ramesh Mepani 2-24)
by 46 runs
scorecard - Kanti Rabadia (Kanbis)


DIV 1:
Swamibapa B 250-8 defeated Kongonis Development XI 244-9 by 6 runs.
Report - Dominic Wesonga (Kongonis)

DIV II:
Straylions B played their first match with Golden XI in their Division B match at Highridge Primary School. Batting first, Golden XI were all out for 77. Ramesh Shamji took 5 wickets, Nadeem took 4 wickets and Girish Nair took one wicket. In Stray Lion's successful 77 run chase, Anand Ranganathan top scored with 45 runs.
Report - Thota Sreenivas (Stray Lions)

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31 teams prepare for NPCA League this weekend

As the national team return home to lick their wounds, there will be plenty of opportunity for them to prove why they are in the team and for pretenders to challenge for spots as the NPCA League gets underway this weekend.

There are 31 teams split across 4 division and while the nation's best players will doing battle in the Super Division, competition will be equally fierce all the way down to division III.

SUPER LEAGUE ENTRIES 2009.
Kanbis 'A'
Stray Lions 'A'
Swamibapa 'A'
Telca XI
Sir Ali 'A'
Simba Union 'A'
Kanbis 'B'
SCLYL 'A'

DIV I ENTRIES 2009
Nbi. Nookers 'A'
Swamibapa 'B'
Ruaraka 'A'
Premier
Ngara
Kongonis Dev
Nbi.Jafferys
Nbi.Gymkhana

DIV II ENTRIES 2009
Golden XI
Aga Khan
Qutbis
Goan Institue 'A'
Simba Union 'B'
SCLYL 'B'
Stray Lions 'B'
Sir Ali 'B'

Div III ENTRIES 2009
Parklands
Nbi.Nookers 'B'
Oshwal XI
Ruaraka 'B'
Aaryans
Goan Institute 'B'
Women's XI

Past stars edged out by Jamhuri youngsters

This report from International umpire Subhash Modi (right) is welcome news at a dark time for Kenyan cricket. I sincerely hope we see more news of this sort in times to come rather than the sort that has dominated the last few days:

"I stood as an umpire with Lalji Bhudia in a friendly cricket match between Old Jamhuri School Boys(Former Duke of Gloucester) invitation XI vs. current school boys of the same school. The match was played on Saturday afternoon at the Simba Union Cricket Club. I enjoyed umpiring as Harilal Shah, a former Kenya Cricket Captain along with Aasif Karim (top scorer with 64 runs) , Bipin Vora, current chairman of NPCA (with 20 runs) featured in the same match which the old boys lost by 14 runs. I take this as a part of development and cricket should again be played regularly in Kenya also on Saturday afternoons to create more interest in younger generation. Lucas the captain of the current Jamhuri High School played well for his match winning 54 runs. Other cricketing personalities who came to watch the game were Jimmy Rayani(former chairman of KCA), R.M. Patel(Secretary of Nairobi Gymkhana) and few former chairmen of Nairobi Gymkhana, past and present chairmen of KCU&SA."

Good on the youngsters for getting the win and as noted by Modi, this is exactly the sort of initiative that will help the game grow so good on the oldies for giving up their time to promote the game.