Ugandan sides poised to dominate finals

Uganda's Rwenzori Warriors sealed their place in the competition final with a routine four-wicket win over Nairobi Buffaloes. Collins Obuya's 47 was the foundation of the Buffaloes 101 for 7, but the in-form Roger Mukasa's 38-ball 48 laid the way for the Warriors to ease home with 21 deliveries in hand.

There are three teams left in the hunt to meet the Warriors in the final. Second-place Nile Knights are in the box seat but need to beat their fellow Ugandans to set up a rematch a week later. Should they fail to do so then the winner of the clash between Rift Valley Rhinos and Kongonis will sneak through.

Nile Knights could have gone through had they beaten Kongonis, but in Nairobi the home side recorded an impressive six-wicket win to rekindle their own hopes. The Knights appeared well placed when they posted 126 for 6, but veteran Kennedy Otieno led the chase with an unbeaten 63 to steer Kongonis home with 11 balls to spare. Knights coach Martin Suji was less than impressed with the standard of the umpires. "We cannot control umpiring because it is out of our jurisdiction but we can control what is on ground," he said. "We just have to beat our country-mates Rwenzori Warriors and qualify."

Rift Valley Rhinos had a tough day against winless Coast Pekee before registering a 36-run victory. David Obuya's 41 was the only contribution of note as the Rhinos limped to 95, but even that was beyond Pekee's modest line-up as they folded for 56, another veteran, Peter Ongondo, the pick of the bowlers with figures of 4-1-9-3.

Kongonis booked their place in the 50-over final with tight two-wicket win in a rain-affected match against Nile Knights. Benjamin Musoke's 97 was the bedrock of the Knights 229, and chasing a revised D/L target of 170 from 39, it was again Otieno who led the way with a patient 64. The Knights can still make the final but they need a big win over the Warriors in the last round of group matches to do so.

Rwenzori Warriors moved second with a 30-run win over Nairobi Buffaloes in a low-scoring contest. Gagandeep Singh's 6 for 26 helped bowl out the Warriors for 108, but left-arm seamer Charles Waiswa went two better, taking a career-best 8 for 16 as the Buffaloes were skittled for 78.

In the basement battle, Coast Pekee managed only 63 - Mitesh Sanghani made the most of some poor batting to take 5 for 10 - and Rift Valley Rhinos knocked off the runs in 15.3 overs for the loss of two wickets.