By SHAMAOMA MUSONDA –
NKWAZI capped a fine year by winning the Zambia Cricket Union (ZCU) Inter Club T20 Championship title after whitewashing Luanshya Royals with a nine-wicket win.
The final played at Kabwe Sports Club at the weekend was reduced to 15 overs after a heavy down pour with the Zambia Police Service sponsored outfit winning the toss and opted to field first in over cast conditions.
Watched on by the ZCU top brass that included president Reuben Chama, executive committee members Martin Mutono, Ng’andu Yandikani, Musonda Chisenga and Judith Mbulo, Luanshya Royals, the Copperbelt champions, struggled to either bowl or bat.
In their innings Royals batsmen struggled to play their shots as the ball was swinging with pitch offering variable bounce.
Royals A lost their opening batsman Joseph Mwewa cheaply for just eight runs while Musonda Yambayamba put up some resistance to the assault from Nkwazi’s Tapson Nyirongo, Misheck Malama and Jonathan Chisembele but still fell for 11 runs.
Sanker Angamunthu top scored for Royals with 18 runs while the ageless Steven Banda was unbeaten on 17 runs as their team was restricted to 81 runs for eight wickets in 15 the overs.
Pick of the bowlers for Nkwazi was Godfrey Kandela who got three wickets with Nyirongo helping himself to two wickets.
Nkwazi batting second, were untroubled by the Luanshya Royals A bowlers as they easily cruised to their victory target and win by nine wickets, their only loss was Madaliso Mvula who fell for 13 runs while Allan Nsensha top scored with a rapid 35 runs.
Impressively, opener Joseph Chinunga was unbeaten on 28 runs.
Allan Nsensha was named best batsman during the awards giving ceremony with Kandela, a Zambia Police Sergeant, named best bowler while Royals Sanker Angamunthu was voted as the best All-rounder.