Uganda demoted to Division 3

By Charles Mutebi

Uganda 149 Canada 119/9

(Canada win by 59 runs D/L method)

Nepal 171/9 Netherlands 172/3

(Netherlands win by seven wickets)

THE truth is bitter. But it is the truth. Uganda have been relegated back to the ICC World Cricket Division 3 yet who can claim they deserved any better. 

For a team that has lost all its matches at the ICC World Cup Qualifier in New Zealand without putting up a fight, demotion was the perfect reward. Ironically, Uganda still had a chance to escape the drop going into Sunday’s encounter with Canada at Mount Maunganui. 

But, rather inevitably, this game turned to be the epilogue left to make Uganda’s tragedy complete. Uganda lost to Canada by 59 runs (D/L method) after being bowled out for 149 in 49.5 overs. 

Canada won the toss and elected to field after rain delayed the start of the match. Hamza Saleh, Brian Masaba, Richard Okia, Frank Nsubuga and Davis Arinaitwe scored 33, 29, 19, 14 and 11 as Uganda posted another underwhelming total to leave the door wide open for Canada to escape demotion. 

Canada were set a revised target of 61 runs in 29 overs. They went far and above that – racing to 119/1 in their allotted overs to win by 59 runs. 

Uganda were relegated to Division 3 in 2011 and Arinaitwe’s team were very eager to avoid the same fate after gaining a chance to stay in Division 2 for the next two years. That chance has not been taken and now Uganda face a long and uncertain way back.