The penultimate week of the Ghana Cricket Association Division One T20 League delivered another round of thrilling encounters in Qualifier A on Sunday, March 2, 2025. With promotion to the Premier League and survival at stake, the battles at the Achimota Oval were intense.
Rana Motors Secure Victory to Stay Top
Rana Motors Cricket Club wrapped up their campaign with a commanding 7-wicket victory over Supreme Cricket Club in the afternoon match of Week 13. Supreme won the toss and opted to bat first, but a steady fall of wickets saw them manage 106/7 in their allotted 20 overs.
In response, Rana Motors chased down the 107-run target in just 13.2 overs, losing only three wickets in the process. Alex Osei (35 off 23), Paul Anthony (24 off 30), and Richmond Baaleri (31 off 21)* anchored the innings, supported by 13 extras. The win kept Rana Motors at the top of Qualifier A with 12 points and a Net Run Rate (NRR) of +1.88, while Supreme remained in 6th place with 4 points.
Youngster Richmond Baaleri starred once again, earning another Player of the Match award with his outstanding 4-wicket haul for 19 runs. His performances continue to dominate the league, as he now leads the MVP standings with 62.30 points. Baaleri also tops the batting charts with 260 runs (Avg: 43.33, SR: 126.21) and is joint-top on the bowling charts with 17 wickets, alongside Hassan Shah Ali of BGC.
Defenders’ Victory Falls Short as NRR Keeps Them Out of the Top Four
Earlier in the day, Defenders Cricket Club secured a comfortable 8-wicket win over Ras Binghi, but their hopes of a top-four finish were crushed by an inferior Net Run Rate (NRR).
Ras Binghi, having won the toss and elected to bat first, struggled against Defenders’ bowling attack and were bowled out for just 69 runs in 17.3 overs. Defenders needed a quick chase to boost their NRR, but Ras Binghi made them work for the win, taking two wickets. Eric Amoah fell to captain Nurudeen Ibrahim, while Daniel Anefie was dismissed by Francis Ayikai Okine.
Despite finishing the game in 5 overs with 70/2, Defenders fell short of surpassing 4th-placed Balagi Group of Companies (BGC) in NRR. Both teams ended with 8 points, but BGC advanced with an NRR of +1.0, while Defenders’ remained at +0.5, leaving them 5th on the table.
Daniel Anefie took home the Player of the Match award, having contributed 37 runs off 20 balls and taking 2 wickets for 17 runs, including a maiden over.
Final Week Showdown
The battle continues in Week 14 at the Achimota Oval, where 3rd-placed Evolve Paints (8 points) will aim to overtake Carel Super Kings (10 points) by securing a win against Bangle Tigers. Meanwhile, Carel Super Kings will seek a victory against Supreme Cricket Club to finish top of the table with 12 points and improve their NRR.
