Ugandan cricketers vanish in Australia
Jun 04, 2007
UGANDAN cricket players Patrick Ochan and Jimmy Okello have vanished from their camp in Australia, a day before the team was set to return home. The national cricket team, which won the ICC World Cricket League Division 3 tournament that ended on Saturday, left Australia yesterday without the two te
By Ronnie Kintu
in Darwin Australia
UGANDAN cricket players Patrick Ochan and Jimmy Okello have vanished from their camp in Australia, a day before the team was set to return home. The national cricket team, which won the ICC World Cricket League Division 3 tournament that ended on Saturday, left Australia yesterday without the two teenage star players on board.
The team is expected to arrive in Kampala at 2:00pm today. Efforts by Uganda Cricket Association chairman William Kibuuka-Musoke, coach Sam Walusimbi and ICC tournament director Chris Briers to search for them across Darwin were fruitless.
The disappearance of the two players dampens what was a great weekend for Ugandan sports. It saw the national soccer team Cranes beat Nigeria in the Nations Cup qualifiers the same day the cricketers qualified for the ICC World Cricket League Division 2.
Whereas officials are optimistic that the teenagers only wanted some extra days in Australia and would eventually return home, the incident brings to four the number of scandals involving Ugandan sportsmen travelling abroad.
The most famous incident happened in September 2000, when swimmer Joe Atuhaire was arrested allegedly for raping a 17-year-old Australian girl at the Sydney Olympics. The case was later dropped because the prosecution could not produce enough evidence.
Earlier, in 1996, Olympic boxer Charles Kiiza was arrested after he was found with counterfeit dollars. He was later released because of his status in Atlanta, where the Olympics were being held.
In 2004, boxer Jolly Katongole went missing as the Ugandan contingent prepared to come back from the Athens Olympic Games. He was later deported back.
Sources in the Ugandan camp said Ochan, 18, and Okello, 19, could as well have opted to trade their talent in Australia. Words from their confidants revealed that the two plan to extend their visit for a specific time and return home just before their visas expire.
Ochan caught the eye of many cricket lovers in Darwin when he knocked a brilliant unbeaten 55 runs off 34 balls in Uganda’s 91-run victory against Argentina in the ICC World Cricket League Division 3 tournament final.
Batting at number 10, he smashed four sixes and a boundary to contribute to a terrific 82 run partnership with Lawrence Sematimba (33*) as Uganda came from 45-7 to win by 91 runs.
The national cricket team will arrive at Entebbe Airport this afternoon aboard Emirates Airlines and will be hosted to a dinner at Lugogo later in the day.
in Darwin Australia
UGANDAN cricket players Patrick Ochan and Jimmy Okello have vanished from their camp in Australia, a day before the team was set to return home. The national cricket team, which won the ICC World Cricket League Division 3 tournament that ended on Saturday, left Australia yesterday without the two teenage star players on board.
The team is expected to arrive in Kampala at 2:00pm today. Efforts by Uganda Cricket Association chairman William Kibuuka-Musoke, coach Sam Walusimbi and ICC tournament director Chris Briers to search for them across Darwin were fruitless.
The disappearance of the two players dampens what was a great weekend for Ugandan sports. It saw the national soccer team Cranes beat Nigeria in the Nations Cup qualifiers the same day the cricketers qualified for the ICC World Cricket League Division 2.
Whereas officials are optimistic that the teenagers only wanted some extra days in Australia and would eventually return home, the incident brings to four the number of scandals involving Ugandan sportsmen travelling abroad.
The most famous incident happened in September 2000, when swimmer Joe Atuhaire was arrested allegedly for raping a 17-year-old Australian girl at the Sydney Olympics. The case was later dropped because the prosecution could not produce enough evidence.
Earlier, in 1996, Olympic boxer Charles Kiiza was arrested after he was found with counterfeit dollars. He was later released because of his status in Atlanta, where the Olympics were being held.
In 2004, boxer Jolly Katongole went missing as the Ugandan contingent prepared to come back from the Athens Olympic Games. He was later deported back.
Sources in the Ugandan camp said Ochan, 18, and Okello, 19, could as well have opted to trade their talent in Australia. Words from their confidants revealed that the two plan to extend their visit for a specific time and return home just before their visas expire.
Ochan caught the eye of many cricket lovers in Darwin when he knocked a brilliant unbeaten 55 runs off 34 balls in Uganda’s 91-run victory against Argentina in the ICC World Cricket League Division 3 tournament final.
Batting at number 10, he smashed four sixes and a boundary to contribute to a terrific 82 run partnership with Lawrence Sematimba (33*) as Uganda came from 45-7 to win by 91 runs.
The national cricket team will arrive at Entebbe Airport this afternoon aboard Emirates Airlines and will be hosted to a dinner at Lugogo later in the day.