A major batting collapse condemned defending champions Kanbis Sports Club to a five-run defeat at the hands of newly crowned league champions Stray Lions in the Harilal Shah Memorial tournament on Sunday.
Chasing 176 for victory at Nairobi Gymkhana, Kanbis were sailing at 82 for no in the 5th over before the collapse gates opened to bring up a shocking loss for the champions.
Kanbis required 12 runs off the final over, but came up short as Maurice Odumbe conceded only eight runs and picked up the wicket of skipper Rajesh Bhudia (15) to deny Kanbis the win.
Rakep Patel and Dhiren Gondaria had given Kanbis a flying start, scoring over 16 runs an over. In the absence of Wilkin Mota and AG Praveen, Stray Lions opened the bowling with Jay Chandarana and skipper Hiren Varaiya. From two overs, Chandarana had licked 31 overs with Varaiya’s first overs producing 13 runs.
A change to bring Shem Obado for Varaiya for the third over worsened matters for Stray Lions as Rakep and Gondaria didn’t spare him neither producing 21 runs off his only over of the match. It was in this over by Obado that Rakep scored his 50 off 20 balls. But that was how far he could go as he was bowled off the first ball of the sixth over by Varaiya. He hit five sixes and four boundaries. Santilal Raghwani and Gondaria’s stand for the second wicket produced 10 runs before Varaiya picked his second by bowling out Raghwani on four.
Odumbe announced his presence in the match when he had Gondaria caught off his second ball on 44 from 24 balls that consisted three sixes and five boundaries with the board at 106. Nelson Odhiambo was the fifth wicket to fall after being trapped lbw on eight off Collins Obuya. Ramesh Mepani and Vinod Rabadia got the scores to 127 in 15.1 overs before Chandarana bagged his first wicket with the first ball of his second spell.
Rabadia and Bhudia got the scores to 154 before Bhudia was bowled by Obuya. After the dismissal of the skipper, Sachin Bhudia and Gautman Bhudia were all run out on two, leaving Kanbis starring at a loss. When Varaiya got the wickets of Rabadia and Harish Varsani it was all over for Kanbis.
Earlier, Jay Mehta (50) and Obado (47) had given Stray Lions a good platform to the final total with some good knock. Mehta, who was promoted to the first team, faced 52 balls before falling to Odhiambo while Obado faced 29 balls before being run out.
Sikh Union beat Gymkhana by 55 runs. Sikh Union scored 151 for 7 with Sandip Adole contributing 63 and recovering from precarious 41 for 4. Gymkhana needed to win in 11 overs to qualify for semi-finals but collapsed to 96 all out.
