Aziz Damani’s defense of the National Men’s Cricket League got off to a poor start following their 47 run loss to Aziz Damani Development on Sunday.

Damani won the T20 format of this league last weekend when they beat Avengers in the finals, but like it was at the start of T20 in Match, they lost their first game to their sister club.

Development after winning the toss batted first, and they set the chase at 236/10 for the defending champions to chase. Despite the reigning league MVP Riazat Ali Shah hitting a half century of 53, Falak Shah getting 40 and Jonathan Kizza scoring 32, Damani were unable to outcompete their B side.

The affair was an equally contested one, but the difference between the two sides was the old man Frank Nsubuga! The evergreen 43-year-old showed class with both the ball and the bat. Nsubuga knocked 72 runs and bagged four wickets as his side bowled out their opponents in the 45.3 Over.

Nsubuga’s captain Brian Masaba was a menace too with the ball as he recorded three wickets. One of his wickets was a catch from assistant Cricket Cranes coach Jackson Ogwang who was playing a cricket game for the first time in five years.

Derrick Bacunzi was another half centurion. The former U-19 player scored 54, making a good support for Nsubuga. Robinson Obuya (15), Robert Ajuna (24), Masaba (19) and Edwin Nuwagaba (22) all scored in double figures.

For Damani, Junaid Khan had the most wickets-3. Both Alpesh Ramjani and Kizza got two.

That victory puts Development third on the table that’s led by Wanderers who beat Avengers by 150 runs on Saturday.