The week ending March 25, 2012 saw some of the most astounding results in the ongoing CCA Pro-40 league yet. To give you a taste of what transpired, cricket fans were treated to star performances, a barrage of sixes laden with boundary splitting fours, matches changing ascendancy in a matter of two overs, all translating into results never anticipated at the toss when the day started.
The first match of the day witnessed Coast Gymkhana B grapple with Shree Cutchi Leva Patel Samaj on the former’s home venue. CG B won the toss and chose to bat on a ground that has produced massive totals for the team batting first more often than not. The game did not last 2 hours as CG B was shot out for a surprising 44 runs, the lowest total this season. The highest scorer in the innings was the extras at 17, Paresh Bhudia returning figures of 4/4 in 4.1 overs. SCLPS made very short work of the total finishing in 4 overs to ensure both teams were on the brunch table. Sachin Dixit picked 1 wicket. SCLPS won by 9 wickets.
On Mombasa Sports Club, the current champions hosted Simba Union on wicket that required batsmen to get in and struggle it out. SU chose to field and the move paid dividends immediately as MSC found themselves, not uncharacteristically this season, at 148/6 by the second water break at the 30th over. But then enter Nikhil Rathod who found some fluency and stayed in for the remainder of the innings. Till then the game seemed destined for a score of 200 being the par score, but then the last 2 overs in the death produced 44 runs odd to leave the final score at 244/7. Yusuf Hussein, Talha Khan and Harmeet Singh all returning with 2 wickets a piece. Simba’s batting could not come to terms with the MSC bowling and settled for time at 116/7 at the end of 40 overs. Yusuf Hussein being the top scorer with 43 followed by Talha Khan with 25. MSC won the match by a massive 128 runs.
On Burhani Sports Club, the home side had to tussle it out with a strong Coast Gymkhana A outfit. The home side winning the toss and electing to bat on their astro. BSC were bundled out for 110 runs in the 36th over. Luv Manek and Taha Firoz profiting with 3 wickets a piece. CG A cleared the total in 16 overs odd as Manoj Patel once again put the BSC bowling to the sword with a fluent 44 runs. Burhanuddin Onali returning with 2/20 as the only shine on a rather lack lustre day for BSC. CG A carrying the day by 7 wickets.
The match of the day saw two home teams brawl it out against each other as Jaffery Sports Club A played Jaffery Sports Club B on JSC. The senior side winning the toss and electing to bat against the youthful junior side studded with two Kenya stars in former Kenya captain, Steve Tikolo and international all rounder Thomas Odoyo. The senior side, who were visiting on the day given the fixtures, set up a seemingly unassailable target of 247 runs for the loss of 7 wickets. All the top JSC A batsmen were among the runs with Mohamed Fazal (46), Mohamed Kalyan (44), Abbas Ali Mawji (40) being noteworthy. Thomas Odoyo, celebrated Kenyan all rounder returning figures of 3/20 in 7 overs. When the chase started JSC B required a run rate in excess of 6RPO. Steve Tikolo, Kenyan star cricketer with over 3000 runs for Kenya at the international stage, opened his CCA 40 Over league account with an individual score of 167 not out laden with huge 10 sixes and 21 fours at a strike rate of virtually 200. The young Hussein KG chipped in with a stand for Steve Tikolo, amassing 33 runs in the process. JSC B winning the day by 8 wickets and registering their first win in emphatic style.
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