Challengers Cricket Club beat archrivals Right Guards by 68 runs on Sunday at Kicukiro oval to emerge the 2015 champions of the UAE Exchange &Xpress Money Premier League.
Challengers Cricket Club beat archrivals Right Guards by 68 runs on Sunday at Kicukiro oval to emerge the 2015 champions of the UAE Exchange &Xpress Money Premier League.
Challengers Cricket Club scored 223/9 in 50 overs while 2014 champions Right Guards Cricket Club won 155/10 in 38.5 overs. Challengers’ Daniel Ruyange, with 52 Runs and 4 Wickets, was named man of the match.
Challengers CC skipper, Srinath Vardhineni won the toss and opted to bat first. They had a shaky start with top three batsmen getting out within the first 10 overs due to tight bowling by Right Guards bowlers Issanez Emmanuel and Kenneth Waiswa.
Challengers’ batsman and national team player Bob Bashir Songa played a match winning innings of 65 runs not out and Daniel Ruyange scored a valuable 52 runs to push the Challengers total to 223 for 9 in 50 Overs.
Right Guards opening batsman Eric Dusingizimana with 27 runs and Don De Dieu Mugisha with 14 runs commenced the chase well with Orchide Tuyisenge scoring 30 runs. However, the good start was halted by 3 quick wickets by Srinath Vardhineni and was ably supported by Mahebub Shaikh.
Right Guards Batsman Jean Claude Siboniyo scored 22 runs not out, he was the only batsman to put up some resistance. Bowlers Daniel Ruyange took 4 wickets and Subhasis Samal picked 2 wickets in quick succession to seal the victory for Challengers.
Challengers Captain Vardhineni said in a post-match interview,” This win is a special one for me and my team as the finals was watched by South Africa cricket legend Makhaya Ntini and International Cricket Council (ICC) Africa regional manager Mr. Cassim Suliman.”
UAE Exchange & Xpress Money Premier Cricket League started in 2013 and the inaugural edition was won by Challengers Cricket Club before Right Guards Cricket Club dethroned them to claim the 2014 crown.
Champions in men’s category Challengers Cricket Club and winners in women’s competition Charity Cricket Club walked away with Rwf 100,000 cash prize and a trophy each.
Individual awards
Best Batsman: Evode Mutuyimana (Challengers CC)
Best Fielder: Bob Bashir Songa(Challengers CC)
Best Bowler: Zappy Bimenyimana (KHCC)
Most Valuable Player (MVP): Daniel Ruyange (Challengers CC)