After 14 weeks of intense Cricket display at the Achimota Cricket Ovals, Alpha Cricket Club have lifted the giant trophy of the Ghana Cricket Association’s Division One league on Sunday, December 21, 2025, after beating Salt n Pepper by 7 runs in their final encounter.
With all 20 overs played, Alpha needed the partnership of Isaac Otuafo Kwaku Aboagye 57(44) and Aariz Sood 15(25) and Bharani Kumar 12(15) to put a decent total by Alpha, 139/7, as they lost 2 quick wickets in the 8th over. With decent bowling figures (4.0-0-28-4) by Junaid Ahmed, Salt n Pepper really limited Alpha, who had a good batting order.
Junaid 35(30) started it off well with captain Mukesh Mohan 11(15) and by the time they both fell in the 8th over from the delivery of J. N Raj (2.0-0-8-2), Salt n Pepper were 55 runs up and needed 85 runs from 72 balls to win. David Ateak 23(16) was holding things up until eventual player of the match, Halim Khan (4.0-0-23-3) dislodged his bails on the 11.3 overs to crumble Salt n Pepper, making it tasteless.
Salt n Pepper managed 132/8 and finished 5th on the table with 7 points, while Halim Khan who scored 31(26) won the player of the match. Alpha finished top with 13 points after 7 matches, winning 6 and 1 share of points.
Gujarat Tridents (GT) fought hard for the runners-up position in Division One, beating nemesis Rana Motors on Oval B. GT, with a huge fan base, had pinned their next season jersey held on their hopes as they scored a chaseable 114/10 in 17.3 overs.
The magical deliveries of player of the match, Samson Kwesi Awe Awiah (4.0-0-18-3) and later captain Arumugam Venkatesh (4.0-0-17-4) turned things around for GT, as Rana Motors struggled for partnership.
With no batter scoring 20 runs on both sides, Rana Motors managed 92/10, while GT won by 22 runs to finish 2nd with 9 points and +1.5 NRR, as against Rana Motors’ 3rd position, also with 9 points and +0.0 NRR. Hari Prasad Mohanty, however, took 3.0-0-14-4 in the first innings, while Richmond Baaleri Jamal scored the highest, 19(24) for Rana Motors.
Balagi Group of Companies (BGC) crowned the Division One campaign with a 4th place and 8 points, having handed Carel Super Kings (CSK) their 7th defeat on Oval A.
CSK won the toss again and allowed BGC to score in the first innings. BGC, with Rohit Malik 56(49) in his elements, scored 147/6, while the likes of Kapil Butola 28(22) and Joseph Kwame Theodore 22(16) also came to the party.
It was all BGC, yet in the second innings, as CSK managed 61/10 in 14 overs, while Vicky Bhagat was the top wicket-taker with 2.0-0-5-3. BGC won by 86 runs, bidding goodbye to CSK, who promised to work hard and return to the top tier.
With several guests gracing the closing ceremony, Salt n Pepper’s Junaid Ahmed, with a total of 236 runs, won the best batter accolade after 6 innings. Bowler of the season was to GT’s Samson Kwesi Awe Awiah, who took 17 wickets from 6 innings. Rana Motors’ youngster Jeremiah Mensah, with 9 catches and 10 dismissals from 5 innings, was the best fielder, while 4th placed BGC’s very own captain, Devender Singh Malik, with 38.09 points, walked away with the Most Valuable Player accolade.
In Division Two, however, Sukh Sangu from 4 innings won the Best Batter accolade for champions Devnik United, while Sachin Mavilakkandi of Defenders took the best bowler prize, taking 14 wickets from 5 innings. It was triple for the Division Two champions, as Nikunj Patel won the best fielder accolade with 4 dismissals in 4 innings and then captain Suraj Poojary walked home as MVP with 32.8 points.
The wrapping up did not end without a Division Three tie between Achimota Cricket Club (ACC) and Panjab Warriors. ACC restricted Panjab Warriors to 88/10 in 16.1 overs and used 48 minutes and 10.5 overs to score 90/2, winning by 8 wickets. ACC captain Obed Harvey was the player of the match with figures 4.0-1-19-4 and performance 35(24). ACC finished top of the table with 6 points.
Next season promises to be more exciting as players have been allowed to move on transfers to other clubs, while Division 2 is expected to be 12 clubs or more.
By: Davis Nii Attuquaye Clottey
