Damani win Nakuru Series

NAKURU.

Aziz Damani have more than just one reason to pop the champagne as the world gears up for the New Year celebrations.

The Division II National Cricket League champions returned, on Thursday, from Nakuru, Kenya on a triumphant note after edging out a combined Ali’s Cricket Academy and Rift Valley Sports Club (RVSC) side 3-1 at Greensteds International School.

Siva Kotti’s men won two Limited Overs rubbers and one Twenty20 but also lost one T20 against the youthful and competitive side that featured some Nairobi-based players including Simba Union’s dynamic pair of Kenya U-19 international Aman Ghandi and Pakistani-born Zaid Abbas.

Save for the 70-run win in the opening Limited Overs encounter, Damani had to grit their teeth from Day Two. The Nakuru Series came alive when the hosts notched a convincing six-wicket win on Day Three after bowling out Aziz Damani for 75 runs in the second Twenty20 encounter.

Although the hosts could not snatch the series with the Ugandans having already won two other games, the former had a chance to draw level and have a share of series’ spoils.
After their captain Zaid Abbas won the toss on the final day of the tour, they opted to bat first and made a good account of themselves. Kenya ‘A’ batsman Thomas K’Ochieng scored 60 and Abbas added 46 before Damani skipper Sarfaraz Chunara (4/31) restricted them to 152 runs for the loss of 7 wickets in the allotted 30 overs.

Pegged back
Coached by Cricket Kenya selector Rajab Ali, also a former international, Rift Valley pegged back their visitors by claiming four quick wickets with the scoreboard reading 36 runs in 7 overs.

But top order batsman Arnold Otwani (65*), who also took the Player of the Series Award for his haul of 152 runs at an average of 50.6 and 5 wickets for 77 runs in 19 overs, and Cricket Cranes skipper (39) saved the visitors’ blushes with a solid 83-run partnership for the fifth wicket to change the tide of the game. Lusty-hitter Asadu Seiga (10*) put the finishing touches with a lofted drive over the in-field to seal the two-wicket win and hard-fought series with an over to spare.

“It was a good work out for our side,” said Damani boss Kotti.

“It has been a tough tour and every game has been competitive. We have seen some Kenyan players that we will call upon to bolster our side next season when we debut in Division I. We want to continue doing well as Aziz Damani.”

Damani, who also won the Kishori Pabari Memorial Twenty20 Cup this season, were funded by ABC, Gettoes Pharmaceuticals and Duke Water.

AZIZ DAMANI TOUR OF KENYA 2016
RESULTS - NAKURU SERIES
Aziz Damani 185/10 Rift Valley 115/10
Aziz Damani won by 70 runs
Aziz Damani 145/6 Rift Valley 115/6
Aziz Damani won by 30 runs
Aziz Damani 75/10 Rift Valley 76/4
Rift Valley won by 6 wickets
Rift Valley 152/7 Aziz Damani 154/8
Aziz Damani won by 2 wickets