Stray Lions’ six match unbeaten Twenty20 cricket run was ended by a 41-run defeat to leaders Swamibapa at Nairobi Jafferys on Sunday.
Nairobi Gymkhana and Kanbis Sports Club were also victorious with easy wins over Cutchi Leva and Sikh Union Club respectively.
Swamibapa’s win was sweet revenge for the home side over Stray Lions who beat them by three wickets in their last meeting in October at the same venue.
Swamibapa had also developed bad blood with Stray Lions since the last day of last season because they felt cheated when Lions failed to honour their last match against Kanbis.
Electing to bat, Nicholas Oluoch raised his bat for the first time with an unbeaten 58 runs to lead his side to 167 for 5.
The visitors didn’t get any reprieve from the onset, even as their latest star additions combined to dismiss Alex Obanda (29) in the fourth over.
Oluoch and his elder sibling Morris Ouma (19) added 54 runs to the second wicket. The latter’s departure brought Saumil Patel (29) to the crease to combine for 47 more in the third wicket.
The Lions’ run chase was immediately faulted by Nehemiah Odhiambo who dismissed Naveen Sharma for two. A quick-fire 31 off 15 balls from Praveen Kumar stabilised the innings, adding on 46 runs for the second wicket with David Obuya (46).
Kumar’s departure triggered a batting collapse that saw Stray Lions lose five wickets for 16 runs after some tight bowling and fielding by Swamibapa.
A late resurgence by skipper Hiren Varaiya with 23 bore 30-runs for the eighth wicket with Jimmy Kamande (14).
The Lions lost their final three wickets for just nine runs, with 11 balls to spare. Saumil Patel was the pick of Swamibapa bowlers with 3 for 17 off 3.1 overs.
Nairobi Gymkhana had it easy at home handing Cutchi Leva a 10-wicket thrashing.
The visitors scored 69 runs off 16.2 overs after some brilliant bowling and fielding display from the hosts.
In reply, Gymkhana made mince meat of the Samaj bowlers, needing only 28 balls to chase down the score for the loss of no wickets.
Irfan Karim hammered down 52 runs off 18 balls, inclusive of five boundaries and two maximums in his fourth half century of the event.
At Simba Union, Kanbis added more misery on the home side with a seven wicket win.
Electing to bat, the hosts put up 105 for 6 with Jagdish Khetani (3/21) and Rakep Patel (2/12) impressive. Only Joseph Owino saw the innings off, stitching up the middle to finish unbeaten on a 46 ball 40.
In reply, Kanbis lost Dhiren Gondaria early for a duck but Narendra Kalyan’s 53 runs and Nelson Odhiambo’s 26 took the defending champions over the finish line in 13.4 overs.