The Cricket Cranes won their second game in Oman.
Thursday, December 5
Kenya – 253/6 (50 ov)
Uganda – 254/7 (49.2/50 ov)
*Uganda win by three wickets
Uganda’s senior men cricket team, the Cricket Cranes, revenged on neighbours Kenya in a thrilling Cricket World Cup Qualifiers challenge league group B encounter at Al Amerat in Oman on Thursday.
Outstanding performances from Ronak Patel with the bat, Riazat Ali Shah and Frank Nsubuga with the ball inspired Uganda to a three wicket win in a pulsating Migingo derby.
After the 47th over, Uganda 233/7 needed 21 runs from 18 balls (at a run rate of 7): A big six from new captain Brian Masaba in the second ball of the 48th over swung the chances more in Cranes’ favour.
With just four runs needed in the last over, veteran Franco Nsubuga hit consecutive singles to aid Uganda topple the target with four balls remaining.
The victory extends Uganda’s perfect start after beating Jersey in the opener and have now compounded Kenya’s poor start. This is the second loss, from as many, for the Simbas who lost to Italy.
Uganda return to action on Friday against Bermunda before facing Italy and Hong Kong in the subsequent days.
Revenge Well Served:
Kenya, in May this year, ended Uganda’s hopes of qualifying at the ICC T20 world cup global qualifiers, beating Uganda by just one run in a well attended game at Lugogo cricket oval with Riazat Ali Shah’s unbeaten 44 off 35, including a late hefty six that went out of the park, in vain.
Wounds inflicted by bitter rivals Kenya were still fresh both in hearts and minds and Kenya were on course to rub more salt when they posted 253 for the fall of six wickets on winning the toss.
Naman Patel hit 60 off 83 balls before he was ran out by Kenneth Waiswa while Dhiren Gondoria contributed another half ton of 53 for Kenya who made their intentions known.
It looked like a mission impossible for the Cricket Cranes who have always chocked at even reachable totals but a recent 248/8 to beat Jersey by 25 runs in the team’s first game, was an available source of inspiration for the team that badly seeked for revenge.
The opening pair of former Captain Roger Mukasa and Arnold Otwani continued to emphasise Uganda’s batting woes; Mukasa was caught leg before wicket to walk off in the fifth over with just 13 runs after facing 18 deliveries.
Otwani did not survive the next over when he was caught by Oluoch with just four runs to his name, to leave Uganda flirting with a lowly 22/2 (6.2/50 ov) – leaving a big chunk behind uncleared.
Shazad Kamal Urkani (60 off 84) and Ronak Patel (86 off 106) coming in at number four and five, set the tone and reclaimed lost belief before Brian Masaba and Frank Nsubuga helped bruised Uganda crawl to the finished line in a laboured victory.
Patel who cleared nine boundaries and also banged one maximum, was named man of the match in a commanding performance as Uganda pulled off one their best chase in recent years.
Uganda’s Fall of wickets: 1-20 (Roger Mukasa, 5.3 ov), 2-22 (Arnold Otwani, 6.2 ov), 3-127 (Shahzad Ukani, 31.1 ov), 4-182 (Dinesh Nakrani, 39.3 ov), 5-182 (Riazat Ali Shah, 39.4 ov), 6-208 (Kenneth Waiswa, 42.6 ov), 7-220 (Ronak Patel, 45.1 ov)
