Stoic Uganda outlast Nepal

Jan 17, 2015

Bowled out for 146 in 49.5, Uganda validated their reputation as the best fielding side at the ICC World Cricket League Division 2 with a stoic two-run win over Nepal as the six-team tournament got underway Saturday in Namibia.

By Charles Mutebi
 

ICC World Cricket League Div 2
Results

Uganda 146/10 Nepal 144/10
(Uganda win by two runs)


Kenya 191/8 Namibia 194/5
(Namibia win by five wickets)


Netherlands 251/8 Canada 184/10
(Netherlands win by 67 runs)

Sunday: Uganda v Namibia

Tuesday: Uganda v Kenya

Wednesday: Uganda v Canada

Friday: Uganda v Netherlands
 
Bowled out for 146 in 49.5, Uganda validated their reputation as the best fielding side at the ICC World Cricket League Division 2 with a stoic two-run win over Nepal as the six-team tournament got underway Saturday in Namibia.

Uganda COACH and players celebrates win. PHOTO COURTESY OF icc-cricket.com
 
The Cricket Cranes claimed a total of six catches, including Vice-captain Brian Masaba’s take on the very last ball of the match that sealed Uganda’s victory. Mercurial spinner Henry Senyondo led Uganda’s bowling with 3/21 in 10 overs while skipper Frank Nsubuga and Davis Karashani claimed two wickets apiece from 10 overs each.
 
Jonathan Sebanja, who bowled the game’s final over and conceded a tension-saturated seven runs, claimed one wicket – off the very last delivery.
 
Uganda’s victory was memorable, particularly because it looked in doubt from early in the piece. The Cranes suffered a top-order collapse, with opener Arthur Kyobe’s 23 runs the best return from the first four batsmen. Talisman Roger Mukasa and the highly-touted Abram Mutyagaba managed just 13 and 10 runs respectively.
 
But Masaba and player-of-the-match Karashani erected a fifth-wicket stand of 65 runs that saved the Cranes from a total batting disaster. Patrick Ocan added a lower-order 10 runs that pushed Uganda’s total a little further along but there was still a lot to do at the end of the first innings.

Man of the match Karashani
 
Thankfully, Uganda can bowl and especially field as good they come.
 
Even then Nepal, who were led by Gyanendra Malla and Subash Khakurel with 34 and 32 runs respectively and Paras Khadka with 3/14 will feel guilty of failing to finish off the Cranes after being in control for much of the way.
 
Uganda will expect to bat better going forward. They know they can field.

Points table after Saturday’s matches:

TEAM Played W L PTS NRR  

Netherlands 1 1 0 2 +1.340  

Namibia 1 1 0 2 +1.112  

Uganda 1 1 0 2 +0.040  

Nepal 1 0 1 0 -0.040  

Kenya 1 0 1 0 -1.112  

Canada 1 0 1 0 -1.340

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Uganda advances to ICC Division II Cricket League

Uganda, Nepal clash in Div III cricket final
 

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