Ruaraka Sports Club captain Nitish Hirani firmly believes that his Thika-based side is still a force to be reckoned with in the Nairobi Provincial Cricket Association (NPCA) 50-Overs League following an emphatic 105-run victory over longtime leaders Swamibapa A in a home match on Sunday.
Hirani suggests that their recent performance shows they are in top form and well-prepared for the challenges ahead.
Nonetheless, the Ruaraka A skipper admitted that the culmination of the 50-Overs season in October will be a cliffhanger like no other, as it is shaping up to be an exciting finish among the frontrunners.
“We are focused, determined, and ready to give our best in the coming matches,” quipped Hirani after their win over the Swamis.
The Ruaraka leader was ecstatic afterward, saying, “We went into the toss with a plan to bowl first, but unfortunately, we lost the toss. However, we were not too disappointed, as the wicket was good, and we knew the pitch would remain consistent throughout both innings.”
He added, “Heading into the second innings, we felt we might be 30-40 runs short, but our bowlers stepped up remarkably. Viraj Deepak Jadhav led the attack, taking 3 crucial wickets and turning the game in our favor. It was a complete team effort that led to our victory.”
Despite batting first, Ruaraka managed to post a strong target of 340 runs, thanks to key contributions from Neel Akash Tambe with 87 runs, Pushkar Sharma with 66, Gautam Waghela with 66, and Prasad Abhayankar with 44.
Ruaraka hit 340 for 8 in 50 overs, while Swamibapa was bowled out for 235 in 46.2 overs. Sachin Gill, playing against his former team, was Swamibapa’s highest scorer with a solid 82 off 100 deliveries.
Meanwhile, Sikh Union maintained their winning streak as they dealt visitors Shree Cutchi Leva Patel Samaj A a 38-run blow.
Nairobi Gymkhana defeated Sir Ali Muslim Club A by 117 runs at their Gymkhana backyard.
Elsewhere, Kanbis Sports Club A took control of the NPCA 50-Overs Super League log in style.
The Eastleigh-based side leapfrogged to the log summit on a scintillating weekend of action with 32 points, ahead of Ruaraka, who moved to second as longtime leaders Swamibapa A dropped to third spot.
Coach Jimmy Kamande of Kanbis Sports Club stated afterward, “Very solid batting from the middle-order batters. Most important was showing no panic at any given moment of the game.”
