UPA Cup cricket tourney rages on

The battle for silverware in this year’s UPA Cup cricket tournament has gained momentum as four outfits are set to lock horns at the TGT ground in Arusha on Sunday in search for a place in the final.

The Arusha Regional Cricket Committee (ARCC)-organized tournament, which started on August 31 and is expected to come to a close on N
ovember 30, gears towards effective promotion of the sport in the region.

ARCC secretary Hameed Sherriff said the first of the Sunday’s games, scheduled to start in the morning, will pit Swamibapa against Wanderers, while Expats will confront TCA Boys in the second match later.

“The final will be played on November 30 between the first and second-placed outfits in the league…A To Z have gone through as first, while the second outfit will be determined after Sunday’s games,” he said.

Annadil Ezzi and Telugu are the other teams competing in the event.

A To Z had, until last weekend, been enjoying the driver’s seat with 12 points, having posted a net run rate of 2.99 after scoring a total of 842 runs and conceded 473 runs.

Expats, Telugu and Annadil Ezzi had collected six points each after managing net run rate of 0.29, 0.77 and 0.24 respectively. Expats had amassed 586 runs and conceded 636 runs, while Telugu had 619 runs and conceded 634 runs.

Annadil Ezzi had scored a total of 641 runs and conceded 669 runs, as Swamibapa collected four points from a total of 494 runs scored and 660 runs conceded. 

TCA Boys (473 runs scored and 579 runs conceded) and Wanderers (547 runs scored and 551 runs conceded), had two points apiece.

Apart from having eased to the final, A To Z is also on course for dominating individual honours as the side’s reliable all rounder, Pinakin Patel, leads the lists of top run aggregates and top wicket takers.

Patel has averaged 56 runs per game to record a total of 280 runs in six matches. He is the league’s only batsman to have notched a century, apart from boasting of a not out spell in one match.

Patel has also taken a total of 14 wickets in 21 overs, with an average rate of 4.57 and economy rate of 3.05. He has conceded a total of 64 runs and his best bowling figure is 4-12.