Alpha Cricket Club maintained their dominant form in the Ghana Cricket Association Division One League, securing their fifth consecutive victory via the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method against Champions United. The win on Sunday, February 2, 2025, further cemented their position at the top of Qualifier B.
Alpha Cricket’s Commanding Victory
The morning encounter saw Champions United winning the toss and opting to bat first. They managed 78/6 in 17 overs before rain interrupted play. Alpha’s bowling attack proved formidable, limiting scoring opportunities and taking crucial wickets.
Girish Varadarajan, playing his debut match for Alpha, made an instant impact, dismissing Sandeep Kumar with his sixth delivery from the University of Ghana, Legon end. A spectacular catch at deep backward point by David Nii Ashong Ankrah completed the wicket.
David Ankrah continued the attack from the Achimota Zoo end, clean bowling Deepak Kumar in the third over. Halim K. added to the tally in the fourth over by dismissing Syed Anees Hashmi, thanks to a sharp catch by Michael Aboagye. Bharani Kumar Majji also contributed with a key wicket, solidifying his place as the league’s leading wicket-taker with 12.
When the rain finally subsided, Alpha Cricket needed 39 runs in 5 overs to win. Despite losing just one wicket, they chased the target in 28 minutes, clinching a comfortable 9-wicket victory. The win keeps them atop the Qualifier B standings with 10 points from five unbeaten matches, while Champions United remain in sixth place with just 2 points.
Salt n Pepper Overcome Hurricanes in a Tight Contest
In the afternoon fixture, Salt n Pepper faced a tough challenge from Hurricanes Cricket Club but managed a narrow 2-wicket victory, holding onto their second-place position with 8 points.
Hurricanes, having won the toss, batted first and were bowled out for 80. Salt n Pepper’s disciplined bowling attack was led by David Ateak (3.0-0-16-3), Lee Nyarko (3.0-0-11-1), Elisha Frimpong (4.0-1-9-1), and Kofi Bagabena (4.0-0-23-1), who collectively dismantled the Hurricanes’ batting order in just 65 minutes.
Salt n Pepper’s chase started aggressively with Junaid Ahmed smashing two sixes in the first over. However, the momentum shifted when Deepak Sharma dismissed Ahmed for 36 off 16 balls via LBW in the 4.3 over. Mukesh Mohan (16 off 13) was also caught at deep mid-wicket, reducing Salt n Pepper to 49/2.
Hurricanes capitalized on their chances, taking wickets at crucial moments. Deepak Sharma led the charge with a stellar bowling spell (4.0-0-18-5), removing key batters including Elisha Frimpong, Kofi Bagabena, and Lee Nyarko. The chase became nervy as Salt n Pepper found themselves at 74/7 with 7 runs still needed.
The final push saw Bernard Addo and Sajeev Sundaresan Nair steady the innings, reaching the 81-run target in 13.2 overs. Though the victory was achieved, Salt n Pepper expressed dissatisfaction with their batting performance, crediting Hurricanes for their tight bowling.
Mukesh Mohan was adjudged Player of the Match for his all-round contributions, including a stellar bowling performance of 4.0-1-6-3.
League Standings and Upcoming Fixtures
With these results, Alpha Cricket remains unbeaten at the top of Qualifier B, while Salt n Pepper follows closely in second place. The league continues with more thrilling encounters scheduled for Sunday, February 9, 2025.
By: Davis Nii Attuquaye Clottey
