Ruaraka Sports Club has decided to drop a chunk of their Super League players with only three matches left to complete a frustrating 2021 Nairobi Provincial Cricket Association 50 – over League season for the Thika Road based side.
The statement released by the Ruaraka Sports Club management and sent to kenya-cricket.com reads, “Due to bad performance, we are dropping old local players for this year and we are promoting players from Ruaraka B and Ruaraka C. We have given chances from the very first match but I think they were not serious about their performance because they were getting easy chances in the playing XI.”
Chandresh Hirani (wicket keeper batter), Pankaj Bhudia (top order batter), Keval Bhuva (batter) and Mehul Asani (middle order batter) are the players that have been released.
“Pushkar (Sharma) is going to open with different players in every match because old locals are not available. We have to give support to the captain (Sharma) because it’s difficult to play different players in every Super League match,” said Ruaraka’s Mansukh Hirani.
In return, Ruaraka has promoted Krupesh Vekariya (an emerging pace bowler from their C side), Kishan Pindoria (off spin bowler), Nitish Hirani (batter), Gyansham Siyani (batter), Harshil Kerai (batter.)Off spinner Rinkesh Vekariya and all – rounder Harshit Vekariya who has been useful with his medium pace and middle order bat will also make a return for Ruaraka’s Wednesday match against Sir Ali Muslim Club ‘A.’
Ugandan Zephaniah Arinaitwe will remain the team’s wicket keeper batter with David Maina making a return to the top of the order.
Ruaraka have Sir Ali Muslim Club ‘A’, Nairobi Gymkhana ‘A’ and Ngara Sports Club ‘A’ to contend with, matches that they state they have to win.
Ahead of their clash away to Ruaraka, the visitors acknowledge that they are not at their full strength so they will have to play with what they have. “The good thing is that our batting has started to click, albeit too late. We missed four of our main players yesterday and we’ll miss one more on Wednesday but we have to put our best foot forward,” states pace bowler, Tarandeep Singh.
Sir Ali were without George Owino who has recently found form at the top with two half centuries from three innings and Tony Ochieng’ who deemed themselves unavailable. Dependable all – rounder and recently capped Zahid Abbas is admitted to MP Shah Hospital after being involved in a road accident on Saturday evening that broke his ribs.
They will also have to play without their pace bowling all – rounder Eugene Ochieng’ who has prior family commitments on Wednesday, a double blow after the departure of speedster Irfan Ellahi a couple of weeks ago.
The two teams are ensconced in fourth place with 32 points from 15 matches-a-piece, Ruaraka with the superior run rate of the two, despite winning 7 and picking two point from their abandoned match away to Obuya Cricket Academy in the first leg.
Kenya Cricket 