Shree Cutchi Leva Patel Samaj YL B Team pose for a photo

Shree Cutchi Leva Patel Samaj YL B captain Ghanshyam Shiyani has credited teamwork, a winning mentality and strong management for the team’s successful defence of the Nairobi County Cricket Association (NCCA) Division One 50-Overs League title.

SCLPS YL B retained the championship after completing an unbeaten campaign, winning all 16 matches to finish top of the 12-team standings with 64 points and the league’s best net run rate of 2.646.

The champions capped their season at Nairobi Club this weekend with a commanding 92-run victory over Kenya Kongonis Cricket Club A Team.

Reflecting on the achievement, Shiyani said the team had improved on last season’s performance, with a collective determination to dominate the competition proving crucial to their success.

“We did better from last season, and we’re hoping for the same next year. The mentality and teamwork we had made the difference. Our mentality was to dominate the season,” he said.

The captain was quick to credit the entire squad rather than single out individual players, insisting that unity had been central to the team’s unbeaten run.

“No particular standout player. I will actually give it to the team. If we didn’t play together as a unit, we wouldn’t have achieved this. We would like to continue dominating, and I’m hoping for the same results — unbeaten for two years,” Shiyani said.

He also acknowledged the contribution of the team’s management and head coach Lamech Onyango, saying their support had played a significant role in the club’s continued success.

“I give credit to the SCLPS team management and Coach Lamech Onyango. Without them, we wouldn’t have made it this far,” he added.

Shiyani also enjoyed an impressive individual campaign with the bat, finishing as the league’s second-highest run-scorer with 520 runs in 16 innings at an average of 43.33.

Former Kenya captain Collins Obuya, representing Obuya Cricket Academy A Team, claimed the Golden Bat award after scoring 655 runs in 12 innings at an average of 65.50 and a strike rate of 111.02.