Tanzania: Dar Twenty/20 Cricket League Starts Today

Tanzania Daily News (Dar es Salaam)

Japheth Kazenga

2 April 2011

ACADEMY Boys cricketers meet Upanga Sports Club in the opening match of the new Tanzania Cricket Association (TCA) Twenty20 League at the Dar es Salaam Gymkhana Club (DGC) venue on Sunday.

The league comes hot on heels of a similar competition whose division A’s event came to a close at the same venue on March 20 with Upanga emerging champions.

It adds up to a series of domestic competitions designed to shape top flight cricketers, including the ones playing for the senior national team, ahead of continental competitions scheduled later this year.

The match will be a good opportunity for Academy Boys to revenge for their defeat to Upanga in the semi-final of the previous TCA Twenty20 League in which the latter claimed a four-wicket win.

Academy Boys, led by in-form diminutive all rounder Kassim Nassor, are expected to deploy their familiar aggressive all round displays in an effort to tame a rejuvenated Upanga squad, which has impressed many with its tenacity with both the bat and ball in recent competitions.

Meanwhile, Academy Boys’ second string side dubbed Academy Boys Development will face Union Youth in the semi-final of the Division B of the earlier Twenty20 League at the Annadil Burhani venue the same day.

Academy Boys Development, which has endured an unexpected slump in form in the competition, will have a challenging task of overcoming their opponents, who are expected to make up for their equally less impressive showing in the event.

In another development, Kigogo Primary School thrashed Ndugumbi by five wickets in their opening match of the group D of the TCA Junior Twenty20 League played at the University of Dar es Salaam venue on Saturday.

Kigogo, who were the finalist in the girls’ category of the last season’s league, looked to have resumed their aggressive approach as they easily dominated the match.

Ndugumbi started batting and posted 65 runs losing all wickets and Kigogo, in response, went on to reach the target for the loss of five wickets whilst garnering plenty of runs courtesy of their opponents’ erratic fielding.

The league’s co-ordinator, Nassor, said the group’s two other matches pitting Ali Hassan Mwinyi against Mkwawa B and Kigogo against Mkwawa B were called off because of downpour, thus all teams shared a point each.

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