Fixtures for KBSC Premier League Season 5
Challengers castled, spinners rule Lugogo
A text-book ton from Ronak Patel and five-wicket hauls from spinners Innocent Ndawula and Hamza Amir highlighted the Jazz Safari National Cricket League on Sunday.
But there was a small matter of 2016 runners-up Challengers who, yet again connived to lose a fourth successive match by 18 runs to KICC at Kyambogo Oval.
With the latter having set 262-7 thanks to Siraje Nsubuga’s stand-out 104-ball 54, Challengers were 227-4 after midway the 42nd over before being bowled out in a space of 37 balls. Challengers’ pair Mohammed Aneef (59 off 92) and Naseer Ahmed’s (63 off 100) featured in a solid 90-run second-wicket combobut it was all in vain.
On the brighter side of things, Ronak struck 128 runs off 84 balls - the fourth ton of the season - as his side beat bottom side Patidar Samaj by 340 runs for the fifth win in nine matches in Entebbe. Barely a week into the country from India for the Rainbow Night Cricket Cup, Ronak made 14 boundaries and a six on his league debut. If Ronak carried the day for batsmen, it is spinners Ndawula and Amir who shared the limelight in Lugogo.
Despite making it eight wins in nine outings after beating Charity by 208 runs, Aziz Damani had no answers for left-arm orthodox bowler Ndawula who snared a career best bowling figures of 7/54.
“I will frame this match ball,” burly Ndawula said moments after picking his innings’ ball from umpires Grace Mutyagaba and Patrick Makumbi.
However, Damani batsmen had been unstoppable especially Arnold Otwani (75) and Wasim Butt (63) as they set 280-9. Ndawula hoped his teammates would match his performance with the bat. But Charity were bowled out for 72 runs in 22 overs with Cosmas Kyewuta getting 18 runs as leg spinner Amis took 8/11 in a six-over spell to beat Ndawula to the Man of Match award.
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Tornado Bee sting Challengers to stay unbeaten
With the chasing pack stuttering in sequence, Tornado Bee know a fifth successive Jazz Safari National Cricket League title is around the corner.
The side are already counting their chances at halfway stage having finished the first round of the season unbeaten with another clinical five-wicket victory over Challengers at Lugogo Oval on Sunday.
“Game was full of planning and we are happy to have executed the strategies,” impressed Tornado Bee captain Jeremy Kibuukamusoke told this paper after his side finished with 39 points from seven matches. “We must work harder in the next round and most importantly, ensure we beat immediate rivals Aziz Damani,” he added.
Challengers, the 2016 runners-up, cannot only muzzle about having lost their third game in six outings but even Irfan Afridi’s missed chance for a century was more painful. Following a slow start that had Challengers at 60-3 in 12.1 overs with only Naseer Ahmed (31 off 56) turning up, big hitter Afridi charged the innings again with six boundaries and seven meaty blows out of the park.
But the Pakistan-born star threw away his helmet in anger after he remained stuck on 94* off 88 at the non-striker’s end when Roger Mukasa bowled out David Wabwire (2 off 7) for last wicket to complete a decisive spell of 5/32 in 8.5 overs.
Challengers had set 209 in 43.5 overs. Tornado Bee fumbled in their early response, reeling at 9-2 after 1.4 overs. But Abdallah Lubega calmed the waters with an 83-ball 70 and, Deus Muhumuza (58*) and Cyrus Kibuukamusoke (36) completed the job with a 50-run stand.
DIV I - JAZZ SAFARI NATIONAL LEAGUE
Challengers 209/10 Tornado Bee 213/5
KICC 187/10 Charity TF 66/10
DIVISION TWO
Avengers 164/10 Mwiri 165/8
ACC 96/10 Premier 66/10
Darren Kyeyune
Ajmal’s trainee Raheel revels in maiden ton
Muhammad Raheel Sanwar became the third centurion of the Jazz Safari National League after he scored a ton of 107 runs to help KICC beat Patidar Samaj by 296 runs at Kyambogo Oval on Sunday.
The Pakistani-born player joined Nanji Pidoriya and Arthur Kyobe as KICC got a perfect start to their second round with a fifth win in eight matches.
“It was a fine innings,” said Raheel, who moved to Uganda three years ago after training under Pakistan international Saeed Ajmal in Faisalabad, Punjab.
“I scored about 15 centuries in Pakistan but this is my first here,” said the owner of Raheel Motors and Chop & Shop companies. “I had not trained for eight months. I decided to come back and help the team. I just played fearless cricket.” added the former Nile and Wanderers’ player, having had a 188-ball 84 against Charity the previous weekend.
After captain Hanumant Katkar opted to bat first, KICC were staring at a fourth defeat when they reeled at 16-2 after 11 minutes of their innings.
But Raheel, in at four, first combined with Falk Sher in a third-wicket combo of 107 runs before the latter finished with 57 off 58. Raheel would later fall after amassing 10 boundaries and two maximums in a 121-ball innings.
There would have been another century from Siraje Nsubuga but his 12 fours took him as far as 99* off 92 balls and Suleman Sharif’s 53 off 30 took KICC to 378/6 - the highest league batting total in nearly a decade.
And yet to register a win, the mountain was too steep for Patidar to climb. Sharif registered figures of 5/36 in nine overs while Katkar got 2/12 in four overs, taking off the opponents’ wheels who got bowled out for 79 in 20.2 overs. Aman Singh made 21 off 19 while Prasant top-scored with 23* off 27.
Jazz Safari National League
WEEKEND RESULTS
Division One
KICC 375/6 Patidar 79/10
*(KICC won by 296 runs)
Division Two
Budo 164/8 JACC 83/10
*(Budo won by 41 runs via D/L)
ACC 195/10 Tornado 93/10
*(ACC won by 102 runs)
Strikers 251/10 Wanderers 137/10
*(Strikers won by 114 runs)
Jinja SS vs. Premier
*(Match washed out in Jinja)
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Season Five Night Cricket has more prize money, new twists
Brace yourselves, members of the cricket fraternity! The pick of the tournaments and only Night Cricket event – The Kampala Boys Sports Cricket Club (KBSC) Premier League – Season 5 is here.
The annual reloaded showpiece was officially launched on Thursday night at the Cooper Chimney Restaurant in Lugogo infront of a full house of the 16 teams participating teams, officials, organisers and members of the media. The previous seasons have showed that there is no lightweight in this tape-ball cricket format that will be played over 16 overs (preliminary phase) and 20 overs (knockouts) from next Friday (July 28) to September 4 at the home of cricket in Uganda – Lugogo Oval.
Despite the envisaged stiff competition, the franchises will not need any additional motivation to outlast defending champions Pak Stallions after the organisers announced that the stakes were higher this year with the winning team taking home Shs15m and runners up pocketing Shs8m – an increment from Shs10m and 7.5m respectively last season.
“We set the standard pretty high from the previous editions. We want to take it a notch higher this season. We want to keep everyone excited and involved,” said KBSC chairman Tejas, who also disclosed that there would be a tournament within the competition with the teams that don’t make it to the semifinals competing in a Super Over contest.
UCA’s Martin Ondeko lauded KBSC for being consistent in their endeavour to promote cricket and promised that the association would continue to support such projects.
GROUPS FOR SEASON 5
Group A
1. Pak Stallions, 2. Cosmas Warriors, 3. Jain Samaj , 4.Haandi XI, 5. Jiya XI, 6.Yuva XI, 7. Abacus, 8. Lahore Lions.
Group B
1. Afridi XI, 2. Hunza Warriors, 3. Metro Tyres, 4. Keshwala XI, 5. Keshwala Boys, 6. Azam XI, 7. Aziz Damani, 8. Lohana XI.
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Uganda on top after defeating hosts Kenya
There were no over-the-top celebrations as Uganda outmuscled Kenya by 69 runs in the highly-billed East African derby played at the Nairobi Jaffreys Sports Club Oval at the ongoing International Cricket Council (ICC) Africa U-19 World Cup Qualifier yesterday.
But no one should be fooled. The Baby Cricket Cranes know a thing or two about partying hard. But as the Kenyans jogged around the field for their warm down, skipper Kenneth Waiswa summoned the team for a huddle and quick prayer. They then sat on the oval infront of Uganda’s dugout for a team meeting to review the day’s performance with coaches; Franco Otieno, Jackson Ogwang, Steve Tikolo and David Obuya.
On their faces, it was visible they were happy they had got one over the old enemy but were not about to celebrate in the Kenyans’ faces because the job is only half done with another full round of fixtures to play starting today against Botswana, who suffered their third consecutive defeat after Ghana mauled them by six wickets at the Gymkhana Oval.
“It is not over,” said Otieno, a man who captained Kenya at the U-19 Level in 1998. “We have to remain calm and continue to do well over and over. There are areas we didn’t do well, when we panicked and where we failed to capitalise. We have to continue improving.”
Jittery moments
Indeed there were a couple of jittery moments in both innings. When Zephaniah Arinaitwe (42 off38) helped Uganda breeze to 55 inside 7 overs and then connived to lose three quick wickets to stay in a precarious situation at 85 for 3.
The innings was revived by a 36-run fourth stand partnership between Steven Wabwose (44 off 59) and Waiswa (60 off 93) which was toppled by another one of 67 runs by the captain and all-rounder SirajeNsubuga (43 off 55) for the seventh wicket that ensured Uganda set 231.
Then although Kenya crumbled to 26 for 4 in the second innings. The 101-run partnership for the fifth wicket between Kenya captain Sachin Bhudia (52 off 66) and Thomas Ochieng (54 off 101) sent shivers down the Ugandan bowling’s spine and left the field in a disarray.
But Nsubuga (2/38 in 9.4 overs)’s clever dismissal of Bhudia (a caught and bowled) at 128 ignited Kenya’s collapse and the hosts were soon all out for 162 in 46.4 overs.
Today, Kenya run into a wounded Ghana whereas Uganda face Botswana looking to make it four not out as they chase the continent’s lone slot to New Zealand for the World Cup early next year.
By Innocent Ndawula
Uganda, Ghana change battlefield
Ugandan cricket has suffered its fair share of highs and lows.
And if you thought last May’s freefall of the Cricket Cranes at their own backyard in the International Cricket Council (ICC) World Cricket League (WCL) Division III was the ‘lowest ebb’ moment for the game then you must rewind the clock to 2015.
It was then that a ‘little known’ Ghana threw a spanner in the works of what was a relatively subtle campaign for a new look and teen-packed Cricket Cranes that was destined to culminate into promotion to the ICC Global Twenty20 Qualifier.
Then Uganda buried its head in the sand when they lost by five runs after failing to chase down a joke of a target (74) in bizarre fashion at the Benoni Oval in Gauteng Province, South Africa.
Ugandan had previously made a fist of their blitz with powerhouses Namibia before emerging victors by two wickets and were literally one win away from qualification but the West Africans’ enthusiasm shut out the lights on them.
Baby Cricket Cranes skipper Kenneth Waiswa was part of that outfit that folded meekly in the face of adversity at Benoni.
But sport does give a second chance always. Today at the Nairobi Jaffreys Sports Club Oval in Nairobi, Waiswa, although he denies it, will want to make amends and get one over the unfazed Ghanaians.
“For us it is another day in office. Another day to try to do well and win a game for our country,” said the Aziz Damani all-rounder who evoked memories and comparisons with retired superstar Kenneth Kamyuka when he first broke onto the scene five years ago.
“We have no option but to go hard at Ghana because only the winner of this event goes to the World Cup in New Zealand next year. We know that they’re a hard fighting unit and not here by mistake.”
Ghana, alongside Botswana, have been labelled as the continent’s blue - eyed boys for their expanse development programmes that go beyond the boundary as justified by their recent rise in the rankings.
Both earned tickets to compete at this continental Qualifier after they hustled their way to the Africa Division II final in September last year in South Africa before Botswana toppled Ghana by three wickets in a swinging rubber that kept changing favours.
Ghana, never a side to be swayed by stage fright, will be bubbly when the umpires call for play to start but Waiswa, too, will have whispered ‘something’ to his comrades during the warm up session.
An evenly poised and no holds barred match is on our cards.
Host and favourites Kenya entertain Botswana, who are tutored by a son-of-the-soil in Joseph Angara, at the picturesque Nairobi Gymkhana Oval in the day’s other fixture.
World Cup Qualifier -Coaches keep trust in Arinaitwe
The effort put up in the two warm-up matches against Kenya select sides have defined Team Uganda’s new batting potential ahead of the ICC U-19 World Cup Qualifiers.
Regardless, there is still concern notwithstanding ability to score 250 plus runs in games against the Nairobi XI and Kenya’s seniors earlier this week.
The team’s best batsman Zephaniah Arinaitwe (pictured bowling) is struggling to perform. “He is going through a patch of poor form,” Team Uganda assistant coach Jackson Ogwang told this paper.
Now in four successive warm-up ties, the opening batsman Arinaitwe has struggled to cross the 25-run mark against the Uganda Select sides and Kenya.
In those innings, his best return was 21 runs in the last tie against Uganda XI at Lugogo last Saturday.
He made 14 runs off 17 balls against the Nairobi Select but struggled further with only 8 off 7 against Kenya XI on a batting wicket at Kanbis Sports Club in Eastleigh this week.
But Ogwang still trusts the 16-year-old. “I believe in his abilities. He just needs one good score to get his confidence back and he is good to go.”
“To beat the odds, we need Arinaitwe scoring. We trust him and shall work with him to improve the figures in one way or another,” coach Francis Otieno noted.
Arinaitwe was Uganda’s best batsman with 114 runs in five innings during the last pursuit for a ticket to the ICC Youth World Cup in Malaysia two years ago.
His best score was a 37-ball 59 in the nine-wicket win over Papua New Guinea before Uganda came fourth in the road to Bangladesh.
“I will come better. I need to be patient too,” Arinaitwe offered in a recent chat with this paper.
“He knows what the team requires of him and we’ll back him up,” captain Kenneth Waiswa said.
The Baby Cricket Cranes begin their quest for the lone slot to World Cup slated for New Zealand next year against Botswana at Jaffrey Oval tomorrow.
Uganda last took part at the global event 12 years ago in Sri Lanka.
ICC AFRICA U-19
WC QUALIFIER - JULY 1-8
PLAYING TOMORROW
Uganda vs. Botswana
Kenya vs. Ghana
SUNDAY
Ghana vs. Uganda
Kenya vs. Botswana
By DARREN ALLAN KYEYUNE & INNOCENT NDAWULA
Playing Schedule for the ICC Africa U19 World Cup Qualifiers - 2017
Press Release for ICC Africa U19 World Cup Qualifiers - 2017
