Samsung blew their one and a fraction goal lead over Sandstorm in the third chukka losing the game 4.5-6 in the opener of the 2017 Kenya International Showpiece held at the Nairobi Polo Club in Jamhuri on Friday.
The team donning the tournament Samsung's shirt (title sponsor) started the game with a 0.5 goal advantage opened the scoring thanks to South African three goaler Johan Du Preez's first minute goal.
Sandstorm (George McCorkell 3, Julian Camm 2.5, Tony Susgen 1 and Nick Millar) laboured to a goalless first chukka. Samsung drew Du Preez, Mike du Toit 1, Chloe Spoerry 1 and Phyllipa Marrian 0.5.
On resumption to the second chukka, Sandstorm regrouped and their strategy yielded a goal in the opening 40 seconds through Sudgen from the spot. The narrowed goal lead was however short lived as Du Preez added Samsung's second from the field to restore the 1.5 gap (2.5-1).
The pace got faster and the intensity of the match hit the roof top in the third period. The eight men and women on horses streamed down the Stable pitch in a fast and furious charged chases exhibiting great stick work and horsemanship both on and off the ball.
Du Preez and McCorkell both scored doubles for their respective teams to settle the game at 4.5-3.
The odds turned around against Samsung on the last chukka. Sandstorm endeavored hard and managed to completely cut out their opponent's star player (Du Preez) off the game to make good their intentions of staying in the Main Cup.
Keeping the South African off the ball created room for Sandstorm to notch in three goals and win. With Tanzanian duo of Camm and Sudgen, together with Millar handling Du Preez, McCorkell lived the the billing by slotting in a hat trick condemning Samsung to a 4.5-6 defeat.
"All our strategies were not giving is maximum results so we decided to triangular-mark our opponent's strong man-Du Preez. The result was amazing, the plan paid off and we won," said McCorkell.
In other fixtures, Samurai defeated RJ Polo 6-4, Royal Salute clubbed Space and Style 5F-4 and Ultimate hammered Mombasa Island Cargo Terminal 6-5. The loses knocked Samsung, RJ Polo, Space and Style and MICT out of the title contention sending them to the plate competition.