By Charles Mutebi

Tri-Nations T20 Cup

Rwanda 57 Uganda 59/1

(Uganda win by nine wickets)

Uganda 132 Tanzania 137/5

(Tanzania win by five wickets)

Uganda 107/9 Tanzania 105/9

(Uganda win by two runs) 

Tanzania fell two runs short of ending Uganda’s unbeaten run on Monday. 

Today, they took full advantage of their opportunity, thanks to a stable innings that featured seven double-digit scores. Tanzania prevailed by five wickets, ending Uganda’s five-game winning start to the Tri-Nations T20 Cup. 

Tanzania’s Salam Jumbe, who took 4/24 and later returned to score an unbeaten 12 runs, picked up player-of-match honours. 

Uganda would have been confident of defending their total, even if it should have been much higher in the first place. The Cricket Cranes were bowled out with 2.2 overs to spare, a fact that should have alerted them about the true scope of Tanzania’s intentions. 

Simon Ssesazi led all scorers with 36 runs while Pascal Murungi, Kenneth Waiswa and Frank Nsubuga added 24, 16 and 15 runs respectively. 

Uganda’s bowling unit got little change out of the Tanzanian attack, with Joseph Baguma’s 2/12 in four overs the highlight. 

The loss to Tanzania was followed by another encounter against Rwanda. The latter took the punishment for Uganda’s earlier loss. Rwanda were bowled out for 57 in 14.3 overs, with player-of-match Henry Ssenyondo helping himself to 3/14 and Nsubuga and Baguma adding two wickets apiece. 

Kenneth Waiswa finished with a game-best 35 off 21 while Ssesazi added 17 off 10 for Uganda, who lead the standings with 13 points, four ahead of second-placed Tanzania.