AfricaPress-Tanzania: AN all-rounder Abhik Patwa hit a half century but could not help Ngorongoro Titans escape from 5-wicket defeat they suffered from Kilimanjaro Aces in the ongoing Tanzania Cricket Association (TCA) Super League yesterday.
Patwa scored 60 runs from 42 balls he faced off as NAssib Mapunda supplemented 44 others with Aanhil Jasani adding 28 in their team’s inning.
Patwa’s side won the toss to score 215 all out in the 49.4 overs at Dar es Salaam Gymkhana Club. Kilimanjaro Aces made a successful chase to score 216/5 in just 43.2 overs.
Those who did not bat were Athuman Siwa, Mohammed Yunus, Karim Athuman and Laksh Snehal. Jitin Pratap, who emerged man of the match, had an impressive performance scoring 81 runs from 103 balls.
Drumit Mehta, who was bowled out by Patwa, had 37 runs for the winning side and right handed batsman, Kassim Nassoro had 32.
Nassoro is one of the experienced players who from 56 matches of his local and international career had managed to score 1336 runs with 82 wickets, but he was not too good to impress for his side in their yesterday’s assignment.
Tembo Warriors are leading the table with eight points after they beat Serengeti Giants by 107 runs at the weekend with Khalil Rehemtullah and Vishal Patel leading the campaign with 38 runs each in their 187/10 impressive score.
They are followed by Kilimanjaro Aces with six points. Serengeti Giants are third with four points while Ngorongoro Titans are tail enders with two points from five matches they played.
According to TCA’s information officer, Atif Salim, the Super League has been very competitive since it resumed early this month after a New Year break, promising to be tough and exciting.
The idea of the league, according to him is for the national team coach, Kenyan Steve Tikolo to see local players being able to score as many runs as possible in a single 50-over match for ‘match fitness’ ahead of various international assignments.
“The effort of the coach still remains that the players should be able to score more runs to be able to secure wins at the international stage,” said Salim.
In doing so, the local players will be able to compete against well drilled sides in the likes of Kenya, Namibia and South Africa in the major ICC tournaments.
Tanzania is expected to feature teams in various ICC major tournaments this year ( should the Coronavirus pandemic be tamed out internationally). The TCA Super Cup is therefore posing as a ‘training ground’ ahead of the tournaments.
