Capricorn Eagles Quadrangular Series Final:
Uganda – 93/5
Namibia – 90/4
*Uganda W 🇺🇬 won by 3 runs
Uganda shook off a shaky start to the finals of the Capricorn Eagles Quadrangular Series on Tuesday to beat Namibia by 3 runs as they emerged as the Champions of the tournament.
Namibia bowled off the final played at the United Cricket Grounds to very enviable start, ensuring Uganda scored only 5 runs in the first five Overs. And what’s more, Kevin Awino was dismissed in the fifth Over with just two runs to her name.
But the Victoria Pearls settled into the game thanks to Janet Mbabazi’s introduction who had a decent partnership with Proscovia Alako. The two combined for a 32 run score, and although both were picked in the 12th Over, Uganda had managed to swing the game to it’s favour.
The mantle was now handed over to Stephanie Nampiina who walked in at number 4 and Immaculate Nakisuyi. This partnership was another that gave the Capricorn Eagles headache as it recorded 31 runs.
Nampiina was caught in the 16th Over with 22 runs, but Nakisuyi went on to complete the innings and in so doing put on board 26 runs, the most by any Ugandan batter.
Like in Uganda’s innings, Namibia got their business in their innings to a good start, scoring 27 runs inside Power play, and needing 67 runs from 84 balls.
Even after the four wickets falling, the final was for Namibia to lose, with 43 runs needed in 8 Overs (48balls), but it is in the 13th Over when Mbabazi walked into the attack to bowl her third Over that things got pretty tight for the hosts. Mbabazi suffered just one run in that Over, and the score read 42 from 42.
Namibia were unable to swing the game to their favour from then on. By the time Nampiina went on to bowl the final Over, it was reading 13 off 6. Very achievable it was, but the fielding of Uganda were not willing to let the game slip away. Nampiina gave out four runs in the second ball of that Over, but the fielding ensured not more than two runs per ball were conceded and in the end, The Victoria Pearls won the game by 3 runs as Nampiina won the Player of the Match award.
Not only did the spinner see Uganda to the finish line, she singlehandedly ran out Adri Van Der Merwe, and; keeping in mind her display with the bat.
Namibia’s Yashmeen Khan knocked an unbeaten 40, but wasn’t enough to win her side the trophy so did Kayleen Green who picked 3 wickets for her country.
From the Ugandan end, only Irene Alumo (2) plucked wickets. The remaining two were run-outs.
Wilka Mwatile was named the Player of the Tournament after garnering 786 points. Nampiina finished fourth in the Overall players ranking, the best positioned Ugandan.
Alako was the other Ugandan in the top ten as she came seventh. Alumo came 3rd in the bowling department with 10 wickets to her name, only beaten by Green (13) and Hong Kong’s Betty Chan (11). Awino was second in the fielding department with four wicket catches and one stump to her name. The best placed Ugandan in the batting field was Alako with 135 runs.
