Challengers crowned UNIMONI-RCA Premier League champions
Monday, November 11, 2019
Challengers Cricket Club players celebrate after emerging champions in Division 1 Men category. Photos: Courtesy.

Challengers Cricket Club were crowned the champions of the UNIMONI-RCA Premier League 2019 Division 1 Men after beating Telugu Royals by 4 wickets on Sunday at Gahanga Stadium. 

Batting first, Telugu Royals posted 131/8 in 29 overs in return Challengers chased the target managing 135/6 in 24 overs to win by 4 wickets with the match reduced to 29 overs per side.

Challengers won the trophy; batsman Zappy Bimenyiman was named Most Valuable Player of the Match having crafted 70 runs off 60 balls his colleague Sruthin Pandayadi contributed 27 runs off 34 balls.

In this same division, Kigali Cricket Club finished as runners up.  Calvin Watuwa (Kigali CC) was named Best Batsman, Best bowler and Player of the Series was Pankaj Vekaria (Kutchi Tigers Rwanda), he managed 8 dismissals and 4 Catches. The best fielder was Gopal Halai from Kutchi Tigers Rwanda.

Division Two men

Meanwhile Spartans Cricket Club lifted their first league trophy in the Division two men category, Zonic Tigers Cricket Club finished as Runners up.

Ivan Thawithemwira was named best batsman with 295 runs and Player of the Series. Best bowler award went to Daniel Gumyusenge, best fielder was Dhaval Patel with 7 dismissals.

Division 1 Women

In this division, Charity Cricket Club walked away with the trophy for the winner in this division having kept a clean sheet to remain unbeaten with 16 points.

Indatwa Hamshire Cricket was named runner up with 12 points having registered 3 wins out of 4 games.

Female national player Ishimwe Henriette was named best batter with 148 runs; best bowler award went to Josiane Nyirankundineza from Sorwathe Girls Cricket Club, while the best fielder was national female captain Sarah Uwera from Oasis Cricket Club. She made four dismissals.

Player of the series was Olive Dusabimana from White Clouds, statistics shows in four matches she managed: a Batting rate 0.651, Bowling rate 36.849 and fielding rate reached 3.728 in total amassing 41.228.

Division 2 Women

Queens of Victory Cricket Club also walked away with a trophy as winners in this female division having won 5 out of 6 games to gather 20 points.

Ndera Girls Cricket Club finished as runners up having won 3 games out of 6 to collect 12 points.

Cynthia Tuyizere from Ndera was named the best bowler in this division; she managed 10 wickets averaging 10.1.

Noella Uwamurera from Phoenix CC) was named the best fielder having managed 7 dismissals, 4 catches in five matches. She was also named the player of Series.

Zappy Bimenyiman was named Most Valuable Player in the final between Challengers and Telugu Royals.

National female team captain and Oasis Cricket Club star Sarah Uwera was named best fielder in Division 1 women.

Indatwa Hamshire Cricket was named runner up with 12 points having registered 3 wins out of 4 games.

editor@newtimesrwanda.com