GT Cricket Club secured their first win in the ongoing Ghana Cricket Division 1 League Qualifier B on Sunday, December 22, 2024, at the Achimota Cricket Oval.
After losing narrowly to leaders Devnik United in week two, GT CC scored the highest so far in the league after winning the toss, 194/3. They started slowly, scoring just 1 run, but achieved 46/0 at the end of the power play, as the best batter, James Kwaku Vifah, had 11 (15) and partner Raj Roshan with 30 (15).
The partnership between Vifah and Roshan 44(32) grew wilder, producing 81 runs, before Navin Rabadiya’s delivery got Roshan stumped on the 10th over. James came on top of the batting order with 75* (53) and climbed to the top of the chat with 94 runs from 2 innings and a strike rate of 118.99.
Swami Indians tried opening their arms from the beginning, as Manoj Jaggi 32 (29) scored 10 runs from 6 balls, with 3 boundary fours’ just after over 1. GT CC kept things under control from then on, and Swami was 30/1 after the power play, as the opening partnership was broken.
It was Manoj, who kept Swami in the game, scoring more boundary fours, but the opener’s time was up with an LBW from the delivery of Dinesh DK on the 9.1 over.
Swami managed 81/10 in 16.1 overs, while GT CC won by 113 runs. Raman Madhu was adjudged the Player of the Match, as he took 4.0-0-16-3, in addition to his batting performance, 36 (22).
Later in the afternoon, Devnik United was at their best again and made it 3 wins from 3 matches. The Hurricanes could not intensify after winning the toss and fielding first.
Devnik scored a remarkable 182/6, with the likes of Preetham Anchan 52 (40), Nikunj Patel 46 (34), and captain Rohit Makhija 33* (18) building great partnerships along the way, while the Hurricanes were looking for where they had been hidden to explode.
In the second innings, the Hurricanes managed 90/10 in 17.2 overs, as Devnik won by 92 runs.
Kush Bhagat was a nightmare for the Hurricanes, as he took 4.0-1-13-4 and was adjudged player of the match. Godfred Bakiweyem (3.2-0-29-2) also contributed to Devnik’s triumph, while Hurricane’s Gaurav Sharma had decent bowling figures, 2.0-0-18-2 in the first innings.
Devnik stretches a 2-point lead at the top of the table with 6 points, while Salt n’ Pepper lies 2nd with 4 points. GT CC occupies the 3rd spot with 2 points, the same as Alpha CC and Hurricanes, while MMG, Champions United, and Swami Indians are yet to win a match.
On Sunday, December 29, MMG comes up against Champions United before Devnik hosts Salt n’ Pepper.
With matches happening also in Qualifier A, the first 4 clubs in each group will qualify for the Premier League, while the rest of the 8 play Division One for promotion and demotion every calendar year.
By: Davis Nii Attuquaye Clottey
