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CRUNCH TIME: KANBIS DEVELOPMENT CLASH WITH SAMAJ C FOR COVETED DIVISION 3 TITLE

Who will win the Nairobi Provincial Cricket Association (NPCA) Division 3 title this weekend?

That is the million-dollar question cricket purists are asking well in time for Saturday’s NPCA 30-Overs Division 3 final between Kanbis Development and Samaj Development at Jamhuri High School grounds!

A neck and neck fight between both teams will no doubt be too close to call, in a battle that holds the key to the coveted Division Two silverware!

For Kanbis Development who finished second to Samaj in the league table, the essence to finish on a high to complement their higher tier teams, currently riding on the crest of a wave.

–Hattrick In the Offing? —
Leaders Kanbis B are unbeaten in Division One whilst Kanbis A tops the chat on the Super League front. Kanbis have no team entered in Division Two this season though, but their development outfit is determined to contribute their intended hattrick of championship success in the 2024/25 50-Overs season.

Samaj who topped the competitive division 3 table, will be out to attest to their consistency and the fact that they cannot be taken lightly at any level of NPCA competition.

Enroute to the final last weekend, Samaj beat Sikh Union Development team by 6-wickets in the semifinal whilst Kanbis defeated Ruaraka Development by 5 wickets in the other semi.

Division 3 category (restarted last year) was played on a round robin basis after which number 1 played number three in the first semifinal and number 2 and 4 squaring-off
in the second semifinal.

Ruaraka finished fourth in the round robin phase of the competition with 10 points while Sikh Union came third with 8 points. Samaj topped the round robin competition on 14 points, two ahead of Kanbis Development.

–Battle Royale–
It will be interesting though how the players fair in the final. Opener Kaushal Mepani who is also Kanbis Development’s captain and the tournament’s second-best run scorer with 382 is among the star attractions in his team.

Alongside Kaushal, Ankit Jesani, Milan Kerai (3rd best run scorer with 121) and Harshil Rabadia are some of the notable names from the Kanbis stable currently bracing up for Saturday’s final tussle.

The Samaj brigade boasts of the division’s leading run scorer in hitman Krushil Varsani and Harshil Kerai, the fifth best run scorer at the present.

Indefatigable Krushil has notched an impressive cumulative total of 432 runs in 8 innings at an average of 86.40. Krushil’s best performance was a scintillating 75-ball century against Hirani Development Men and a cool 93 off 44 balls against Hirani Development Ladies.

It will be interesting to see what’s up the sleeves of the finalists in the much-awaited final match.

Meanwhile, Division One and Two continue as scheduled on Sunday. Unbeaten Division One leaders Kanbis B will take on third placed Ngara SC A at their Eastleigh high school backyard. The title race is between Kanbis B and Obuya A and both teams still have to face each other.

The Collins Obuya led Obuya Cricket Academy A have no match this weekend and will keenly be keeping abreast of the proceedings off-the-cease before returning on September 15 with a tough home match against leaders Kanbis B at Lenana.
Swamibapa B will take on Stray Lions B at Jamhuri on Sunday.

In Division Two, leaders Stray Lions C start favorites against GI Unicorns B at their Peponi backyard.

DIVISION ONE -SUNDAY
Kanbis B VS Ngara SC A (Eastleigh)
GI Unicorns A VS Ruaraka B (GI)
Swamibapa B VS Stray Lions B (Jamhuri)
Nbi Gymkhana B VS Wolves CC A Nbi (Gymkhana)

DIVISION TWO-SUNDAY
Stray Lions C VS GI Unicorns B (Peponi) Swamibapa Development VS Wolves B (Jamhuri) An-nadil Jamaly VS Stray Leopards B (Saifee) Ngara B VS Legends CC (Ngara)
DIVISION THREE FINAL -SATURDAY Kanbis Development vs Samaj C (Jamhuri)

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