Three centuries as Damani maintains run, Premier off mark

Riazat Ali Shah bailed Aziz Damani out of jail with a fine century against KICC at the lakeside oval in Entebbe on Sunday. PHOTO by JOHN BATANUDDE

KAMPALA- In a rare manner, it is batsmen that carried the headlines as Aziz Damani maintained the lead at the top while Premier unexpectedly got off the mark in the Jazz Safari National Cricket League on Sunday.

Three centuries shaped the talk in the cricket WhatsApp platforms and other corners of the gentleman’s game.
To begin with, it will require something extraordinary for Damani to lose a match after Riazat Shah made 108 runs to guide the club to an 86-run victory over KICC in Entebbe.

“It always feels good when you score runs for your team and lead the team to win,” Shah told Daily Monitor after guiding Damani to a sixth straight win and a total 36 points.

“This was first century for my club and Insha Allah more to come for my club and national team,” he added.
Shah made seven boundaries and two maximums in his innings of 105 balls and Saud Islam’s half-ton of 58 off 56 helped Damani to 278-8. KICC’s Suleman Sharif was best bowler with 3/56.

KICC would later respond but Pankal Shatpute’s 80 off 74 was not enough as Damani’s Bilal Hasun got 5/35 in eight overs.

Then at Kyambogo Oval, Mohamed Aneef returned from a two-match ban on fire with a ton of 100 runs off 92 balls to help Challengers beat Ceylon Lions for their third win in six outings.

“After a two-match, it feels good to be back,” said Aneef who missed Damani and Premier encounters. “I took a two-month rest, I calmed down my mind and returned strong with a century.”

His effort helped Challengers to 302-7 and even if Lions’ Arnold Otwani (89 off 91), Simon Ssesazi (51 off 32) and Narinder Singh (47 off 50) responded, their fight ended at 270 all-out in 46.1 overs.

WEEKEND RESULTS
Division one
Challengers 302/7 Ceylon Lions 270/10
Aziz Damani 278/8 KICC 192/10
Strikers 317/9 Premier 321/6
Division two
KC Budo 125/10 Nile 126/8
Avengers 109/10 SKLPS 110/5