A strong combination between Amani Nzomo and experienced handicap 3.5 Craig Millar led handicap 1.5 Sandstorm to become the new Lord Cransworth Cup champions.
They achieved the feat from an inspiring 5-2 victory over the never-say-die Whitecap team of Omwakwe Arunga (2), Nick Millar (0.5), Kailla Millar (0) and Godfrey Kitomary (0) whose total team handicap was 1.5 in an entertaining match at Nairobi Polo Club yesterday.
Handicap -0.5 Amani made it easier for Millar (Craig) who was the highly handicapped player in the tournament, to score four of the five goals in the first chukka (one), two (second chukka) and another one in the final chukka after Natasha Tisminieszky had opened the scores in the first chukka.
“I must thank my dad and mum for keeping my horses in the right condition and shape that made us win the title,” Amani told Standard Sports.
Nick Millar and Arunga replied for the losers (White Lite) in a tournament Nairobi Polo Club vice chairman Raphael Nzomo appreciated the club’s groundsman Antony Wahome for a job well done in keeping the pitch in good condition.
“It was a fantastic tournament on a superb pitch that made us cancel last week’s championships,” Nzomo (Raphael) said.
Raphael’s Whitecap Lite team of Mike Mwirigi, Fred Kambo and Miranda Romijn won the Red Bull Trophy, the Division Two Championships, after they whipped Four of a Kind 15-14 in the final match of the round robin 12-chukka three day match series.
Samurai were made to fight tooth and nail before squeezing a 3-2 win over Ultimate to lift the OMT Bowl in a see-saw scoring match with diminutive Mbu Ngugi, Hiromi Nzomo and Rowena Stichbury scoring for Samurai.
Lochie Stichbury and Louis Roumeguere replied for the losers (Ultimate).
Whitecap Life’s Fred Kambo was voted the Man of the Match with a score of three of the five goals scored in yesterday’s match while Mwirigi managed a double.
In one of the formality round robin matches, the Toyota team of Tony Sugden(1), Dom Grammaticas(1), Cheza Millar(0) and Jadini Nzomo(-0.5) registered a 6-2 win over MICT in a one sided match despite both teams having a similar handicap 1.5.
The MICT team members included Philip Arunga(2), Jennie Camm(0.5), Tony Wahome (0) and Emily Stonewigg (-1).
Kenya Polo Association chairman Gordon Millar said they had not finalized in picking the final women team that will face Zambia in the Kenya International Championships to be hosted at Manyatta Polo Club on July 19-21.
“It’ll be picked in the coming days after we have analysed each player’s performance before the arrival of the Zambians,” Millar (Gordon) fold Standard Sports.