Zambia overcomes Kenya in Under 18 duty

• Zambia's Under-18 polo team poses with the championship trophy. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard]

Zambia hammered Kenya 8.5-5 to win the much publicised Under 18 International tournament at Manyatta Polo Club in Gilgil yesterday.

The Central Africans were too good for the Kenyan side right from the first to the last whistle.

All the Zambians goals save for one were scored by Captain and Man-of-the-Match Ryan Jellis while Kenyan Captain Lochie Murray scored all the five goals.

First to score was Zambia with two quick goals in the first few seconds of opening chukka from a 60 yard penalty by Jellis before Zac Dun added the second one towards the end of the first chukka.

A team spirit finish saw Lochie Murray hit the first goal for Kenya a few seconds after the second Zambian goal.

In second chukka, Jellis increased the tally from a solo but a very faster move.

He (Jellis) added the fourth and fifth goals before Lochie reduced the deficits for Kenya for a 5.5-2 lead at the end of the third chukka.

In the fourth and final chukka, both teams scored their last three goals.

Zambia's hatriçk came through Jellis while Kenya's hatrick was still hit by Lochie (Murray) who emerged as their (Kenya) Man-of-the-Match.

Asked how's his earlier prediction of overcoming the East Africans came by, Jellis said "We took our time to study them (Kenya) in the test matches after picking the right horses. Again, our hard and teamwork delivered the goods".

10-year-old Catrina owned by Casimir Gross and rode by Jellis emerged as the Best Playing Pony (BPP).

Questioned if they could overcome Kenya in their return match next year, the Zambians Captain said every match comes with its technicalities and difficult to predict.

"Every match comes with its merits and demerits hence tougher to predict its results m," Jellis told Standard Sports in a post match interview.