•One of the country’s oldest Cricket clubs achieved the feat without touching a bat, having finished their matches the previous weekend.
•Their league title victory came to fruition after their closest crease adversaries Ngara Sports Club ‘A’ failed to surpass their Net Run Rate.
Image: HANDOUT
Kenya Kongonis ‘A’ have been promoted to the elite Super League after winning the Nairobi Provincial Cricket Association (NPCA) Division One title.
One of the country’s oldest Cricket clubs achieved the feat without touching a bat, having finished their matches the previous weekend.
Their league title victory came to fruition after their closest crease adversaries Ngara Sports Club ‘A’ failed to surpass their Net Run Rate.
Ngara played their hearts out, beating SCLPS YL B by 50 runs but their dream of returning to top flight status came a cropper with an inferior run rate difference which worked in favour of Kongonis.
Kongonis and Ngara tied on 46 points but the former prevailed much to the chagrin of the latter.
Kongonis wrapped up their league fixture on September 24 with a deserved 7-wicket win over Stray Lions ‘B’.
Ngara, led by skipper Rajiv Sutaria, won the toss and elected to bat first against home team Samaj B; scoring 299 for the loss of nine in their allotted 50 overs. In reply, Samaj ‘B’ side were bowled out for 249 in 46.4 overs.
Ngara’s opening batsman and skipper Rajiv smacked a century which sadly couldn’t salvage their spirited title chase. But Kongonis prevailed with a run rate of 1.621 against Ngara’s 1.411.
In the other Division One match, Swamibapa ‘B’ beat hosts Goan Institute ‘A’ by seven wickets. Asked about their good run in the season, Kongonis captain Thomas Ojijo quipped: “It’s the best feeling ever.”
Ojijo is happy that Kongoni started off really well by winning five games. “We lost to Samaj in our first leg, a game that I felt we could have won anyway. That was our first loss in the league.”
He added: “Losing momentum wasn’t in any of our plans and this loss to Samaj made the boys switch on better and bounce back much stronger.”
The Kongonis skipper is grateful for the resilience his teammates displayed, by and large. “I can’t talk much about the Swamis game. Honestly, it was a mistake by everyone in the team ...but I’m glad we kept our heads down and kept fighting on for the title.”
Meanwhile, Ojijo believes their grand march to top-flight action will open windows of opportunity for his teammates.
“Our pre-season preparation was the main thing. We elected to play friendly matches with other top clubs before the league started, so we went into the competition with the much need confidence.”