Team Kenya recaptured the Victoria Cup in a commanding style after closing day two with a 14-2 advantage over arch rivals Uganda in a one-sided contest at the Limuru Country Club.
Day two was an anticlimax as Team Uganda, six points adrift, failed to take the game to the host and meekly surrendered the title with 10 games to spare. The rout was masterminded in the third round when Team Kenya won all the four better-ball matches to increase the points tally to 11 against Uganda’s solitary point earned yesterday.
Coach John Liefland made a few changes to yesterday’s victorious team benching youngsters Andrew Wahome and Daniel Kiragu for Ebill Omollo and Christopher Andrea. The change led to the rejigging of pairs as John Lejirma was partnered with Njoroge Kibugu while the new boys- Omollo and Andrea- formed a tag team.
The tactical changes were an instant success as Adel Balala and Simon Mulama went on to pick the first points of the day after a 4/2 win over Ronald Mugisha and Godfrey Nsubuga. Lejirma and Kibugu followed suit with a deserved 4/3 victory over Joseph Akena and Andrew Ssekibeja. The duo of highly experienced Dennis Maara and Mike Karanga had to dig deep before stopping Joseph Cwinyaai and Mike Alunga at the 18th hole. New boys Omollo and Andrea had little difficulty in dispatching Tom Jingo and Ibra Balagana 3/1 in the round three final match.
Trailing by 10 points, Team Uganda came out guns blazing in the afternoon rounds. In fact, the lads from the “Pearl of Africa” were in control of three of the four matches at the halfway point but blew the lead and only managed to halve two matches as the hosts triumphed in the remaining two to seal the contest prematurely.
Following Team Kenya’s resounding victory, tomorrow’s 10 singles dead-rubber matches will only serve as a coronation parade as the hosts savour a fourth Victoria Cup title in five attempts.
