By SHAMAOMA MUSONDA –
THE Nkana senior cricket side has continued to set the pace in the Copperbelt Cricket Association (CCA) league, and this time whitewashed struggling Luanshya Royals A by 128 runs.
In this match played at Bharat Sports Club in Luanshya, Nkana won the toss and opted to bat first on a flat pitch and scored an impressive 216 runs for a loss eight wickets in their allotted 30 overs.
In-form opening batsman Ravi Kumar top-scored with 53 runs, his second consecutive half century, with Satish Reddy adding 39 runs while Vijay Shetty made 21 runs.
Adding to the memorable win was Parth Nayee who hit a quick fire 18 runs while the best bowler for Luanshya Royals A was former international Nicholas Mubanga who picked up four wickets.
Royals A batting second were skittled out for 88 runs in just 16.5 overs as all the Royals A batsmen were put under the cosh by Nkana bowlers.
Only Mike Bwalya was able to withstand the pressure with a top score of 14 runs with Nicholas Mubanga, who after picking four wickets, contributed 12 runs while veteran Steven Banda was caught for seven runs.
The best bowler for Nkana was Reepal Nayee who got three wickets while Parth Nayee took two wickets.
Meanwhile, former champions AMSL XI escaped a scare and consolidated their second position on the CCA league table after beating hosts Nkana Cricket Club Development Side by 36 runs in a thrilling game played at Nkana Cricket Club.
Nkana Development Side won the toss and elected to field first and in their innings, AMSL XI lost their four top order batsmen cheaply for a score at just 28 runs.
But the middle order batsman Javed Akhthar’s muscular inninings of 49 runs ensured that his team reached 171 runs all out in 27 overs.
Shashidhar Nayak scored 27 runs with Prijesh Vijayan contributing 16 runs with the best bowler for Nkana Cricket Club Development Side being Salifya Chisanga with a haul of four wickets.
Zambia Under-19 international Usher Simwinga got three wickets and Levy Mwila took two.
Nkana Development Side batting second, lost their makeshift openers Daniel Chipampe for just three runs and Musole Machai for eight runs.
Usher Simwinga top-scored with 27 runs, Basilio Chilinda was run out for 22 runs while Maxwell Chanda and Willian Chota contributed 20 runs and 17 runs, respectively, as their team was restricted to 135 runs.
The best bowler for AMSL XI was Nitin Shetty with four wickets.