By Bockarie Allieu
In a closely contested final at the Prince of Wales Oval in Kingtom, the Old Prince Waleans cricket team clinched a 19-run victory over rivals Old Edwardians in the Prince of Wales T20 Inter-Alumni Tournament on Sunday. The final match was attended by dignitaries, including Francis Trevor Samura, Chairman of Cricket Sierra Leone, who praised the skill and spirit of the players, many of whom are members of Sierra Leone’s senior Patriots team preparing for the ICC World Cup Qualifiers in Abuja, Nigeria.
The game was a showcase of talent, with standout performances from Patriots team members playing on both sides. Representing the Prince Waleans were George Edward Ngegba, John Bangura, and Solomon Williams, all contenders for the final 14-man squad for the Abuja tournament. For the Old Edwardians, Patriots players Lansana Lamin, Samuel Conteh, and Alusine Turay displayed impressive form.
George Edward Ngegba led the batting with a powerful 68 off 39 balls for the Old Prince Waleans, while Lansana Lamin scored an impressive 50 off 29 balls for the Old Edwardians. John Bangura added a swift 39 off 21 balls. In the bowling department, Solomon Williams shone for the Old Prince Waleans, taking three wickets in three overs while conceding only 15 runs, and Samuel Conteh of the Old Edwardians claimed two wickets in three overs, conceding 26 runs.
At the awards ceremony, George Edward Ngegba was named Player of the Match, Solomon Williams received the Best Bowler award, and Lansana Lamin was recognized as Player of the Tournament. Veteran Musa Ganda of the Old Edwardians won the Best Batter award, scoring 90 runs throughout the tournament, while Julius Brewah, also from the Old Edwardians, earned the Best Fielder title.
In a testament to the camaraderie and spirit of the tournament, Prince of Wales Old Boys Association President, Sulaiman Rahman Kamara, emphasized that “there were no losers here, only winners,” celebrating the unity of the alumni groups. Old Edwardians captain Emmanuel Kamara, reflecting on two losses to the Old Prince Waleans, vowed to come back stronger in future encounters. The SL Grammar School Old Boys took home third place, while Old Edwardians finished in second place, and the Old Prince Waleans were crowned champions.
