Swamibapa edge Cutchi to reach NPCA final

Swamibapa bowler Jadavji Bhimji (centre) bowls during their Nairobi Provincial Cricket Association (NPCA) Super Division knockout tournament match against Shree Cutchi Leva Patel Samaj (SCLPS) on March 24, 2019 at Nairobi Gymkhana. PHOTO | CHRIS OMOLLO |

What you need to know:

  • Ravi lacked support from the other batsmen to put on a meaningful partnership. At one point, the game was in Cutchi Leva’s hands, but they let it slip through their fingers.
  • Akshay Bhandari (16 off 15 balls with a boundary and a six) and Mahendra Siyani (12 off 16 balls with two boundaries) were Cutchi Leva’s batsmen who scored meaningful runs for their team.

Swamibapa on Sunday secured a place in the Nairobi Provincial Cricket Association (NPCA) Super Division knockout tournament final when they edged out Cutchi Leva by 10 runs at the Nairobi Gymkhana.

Batting first, Swamibapa scored 107 runs by the time all their batsmen were sent back to the pavilion in 32.2 overs. Swamibapa started their innings on wrong footing when their opening batsman, Gurdeep Singh, was trapped leg before wicket for a golden duck by Raj Bhudia (3/24)

Raj also caught and bowled Naman Patel for three. Raj also had Irfan Karim, who batted one down caught by Ravi Rabandia for a duck.

At one time, Swamibapa were struggling with a score of 11 for 4 in 6 overs. James Ngoche (30 off 39 balls with three boundaries) top scored for Swamibapa. Pankaj Sanghani (17 off 16 balls with three boundaries) and Jignash Hirani (16 off 54 balls with a boundary), were the only Swamibapa batsmen who posted double digit figures on the scoreboard.

Diven Varsani was Swamibapa’s main executioner taking four wickets for 20. Akshay Bhandari (2/23) and Mahendra Siyani (1/22) were the other wicket takers.

In reply, Cutchi Leva were 97 all out in 24.2 overs. Ravi Rabandia was unbeaten on 40 that came off 54 balls with two boundaries and same number of sixes. Ravi was Cutchi Leva’s top scorer.

Ravi lacked support from the other batsmen to put on a meaningful partnership. At one point, the game was in Cutchi Leva’s hands, but they let it slip through their fingers.

Akshay Bhandari (16 off 15 balls with a boundary and a six) and Mahendra Siyani (12 off 16 balls with two boundaries) were Cutchi Leva’s batsmen who scored meaningful runs for their team.

Jadavji Bhimji was Cutchi Leva’s main destroyer taking three wickets for 26. Indravadan Varsani (2/20) and James Ngoche (2/24) were the other wicket takers.