Suji confident ahead of T20 World Cup Qualifiers

By Usher Komugisha
 
THE national men’s cricket team has returned from a six-day tour of Kenya where they have played several warm-up games against the neighbours in preparation for the upcoming ICC Twenty20 World Cup due March 13-24 in the United Arab Emirates.
 
Team Uganda played a total of six games against the Kenyan national team as well as the Kenya ‘A’ team (the emerging side) in a period of six days. Uganda won two of the six games but Suji insists that this trip was very successful.
 
While changing combinations on each of the games, it is clear that this side is very talented. Left arm medium paced bowler Jonathan Ssebanja was selected on the side because he can bowl but the youngster did not shy away from batting on the tour.
 
Ssebanja actually struck for 64 runs in the first game of the tour (a 50 over game against the Kenyan emerging side)-the highest runs in that game as skipper Davis Arinaitwe Karashani registered 53 runs to inspire team Uganda.
 
That in the same game, Uganda’s opening left hand batsman Arthur Kyobe (who has never bowled in his national team career) bowled one over, picked two wickets and two runs is enough to display the variety Suji has in camp.
 
While resting wicket keeper Lawrence Ssematimba, Suji opted for Arthur Ziraba and youthful Arnold Otwani on different occasions. And of course Suji is aware that his other opening batsman-right hand Roger Mukasa can also be a wicketkeeper.
 
At least on the batting side, Suji can comfortably lay back knowing that even when he loses six wickets, his seventh batsman can perform up to standards and inspire the team to victory. Such has happened in Nairobi in the past few days.
 
The same applies to his bowling line-up where even his reserve bowler Daniel Ruyange can perform up to the standard of Karashani, Asadu Seiga, Deus Muhumuza, Ronald Ssemanda, Henry Ssenyondo and Brian Masaba.
 
And of course the performance of veteran Benjamin Musoke is something that all the players always enjoy and look up to. Musoke always comes in when the team loses quick wickets and to call him the ‘stabilizer’ would be appropriate.
 
Team Uganda will go for the qualifiers with diverse experience in game situations like what to do when the first wicket falls in the first over, when they get to the fourth over and five wickets have fallen or when one of the 11 gets hurt-the 12th man can come on to perform as expected.
 
Head coach Martin Suji told New Vision Online that, “We set out to get competition before we head out for the qualifiers and yes we got it. We are ready for the challenge in the UAE.”
 
Team list: Davis Arinaitwe Karashani (capt), Benjamin Musoke, Lawrence Ssematimba, Frank Nsubuga, Roger Mukasa, Arthur Kyobe, Arthur Ziraba, Jonathan Ssebanja, Ronald Ssemanda, Brian Masaba, Henry Ssenyondo
Reserves: Daniel Ruyange (bowling), Arnold Otwani (batting)