Echo Florida Cricket Club claim inaugural Diadora Jozi Cup senior men’s title
Partnership between brothers Omar and Deen Kimmie vital in steering the team to victory
The Echo Florida Cricket Club (FCC) squad emerged victorious to be named champions of the inaugural Diadora Jozi Cup open senior men’s division, June 18.
The team won three of their qualifying games during the Youth Day weekend extravaganza to make it into the T20 final at the Imperial Wanderers Stadium against Jeppe Cricket Club. FCC beat Jeppe by four wickets during a nail-biting match that saw Jeppe concede a whopping 88 runs in extras.
FCC lost the toss and were sent in to bowl, and quick wickets from Mthabisi Dube and Omar Kimmie set the tone for the rest of the innings. FCC had restricted Jeppe to 156 for 6 in 20 overs.
After the loss of several key batsmen, it was up to the Kimmie brothers, Deen and Omar to steer FCC’s ship home and they did so with a brilliant 99-run partnership. Deen scored 40 runs off 59, while Omar scored 17 off 13 balls.
Also see: Roodepoort U/18 clinch Diadora Jozi Cup final
To add to Florida’s winning streak, captain Junior van Rooyen was also named Best Bowler of the tournament having taken ten wickets in eight matches with an economy of 4.81. Dube ranked seventh with eight wickets and an economy of 8.76.
Zaid Essop was the second highest scoring batsman of the tournament with an impressive 341 runs and a top score of 124 not out, while Deen ranked fourth (219 total runs) and Usaamah Kara sixth (191 total runs).
Chairman Zaid Kimmie said the reality of playing a final at the Bullring was always one of the visionary goals of the club to afford its players the experience to play at the stadium.
“To win the Diadora Jozi Cup tournament in the open senior men’s category makes it even more special. I am extremely proud of the players for this remarkable achievement. I am exceptionally grateful to the Central Gauteng Lions Cricket Board and our sponsor Echo, a subsidiary of the Labat Africa Group, for realising the need and making it possible for Florida Cricket Club to participate. As quoted from our sponsor, “Life is an Echo. What you send out, comes back. What you sow, you reap,” he said.
