Botswana: Inter-town league underway in busy season

The major competition of a busy Botswana cricket scene, the inter-town league, is underway, with at least eight teams competing in two groups.

The southern league comprises Gaberone, Lobatse, Jwaneng and a combined Under 23 team drawn mainly from Gaberone, while the nrothern league consists of Orapa, Phikwe, Francistown and Nyangagbwe (also from Francistown). Possible late additions could be West Indian combination Francistown Sports and Recreation Club. The top two teams from each group go through to the play-offs.

Some of the players expected to stand out during the inter-town league are Gaborone's Indika Perera, 'Chicken' Bhamjee, Abdul Patel, Dave Fisher, Mark Coubrough and Ahklaq Raja; for Phikwe, Peter Revans, Angus Dunlop and Sunil Patel; Francistown's Sanjev and Ajay Bhagarva while Nyangagbwe will look to Praful Jog.

The 35-overs-11-a-side Gaberone league is underway with five matches being played every weekend, so all 14 teams have the opportunity to play each other.

After the third round, Canon Firsts, United Gymkhana and Pioneer topped the table of a competition which is played Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights, as well as Sunday afternoons.

Canon's form continued its success in the Nashua Floodlit Six-A-Side league where it beat United Gymkhana in the final. UG entered the final by disposing of Motor Centre in one semifinal, while Canon eliminated Time Projects in the other.

In the quarterfinals, Motor Centre defeated Bharat, UG won over Pioneers, TP beat Afro Indies and Canon Firsts won against Molepolole.

Gaberone took out the first title of the season, snaring the National Sixes title in April, with a six run win over the host of the 10 team event, Phikwe CC.

Botswana overcame the first round loss to finish second in a regional under 15 tournament in Zambia in March.