Jinja Secondary School has won three back-to-back Pepsi Girls’ Schools Cricket Week titles. 
With such pedigree and no big improvements from perennial contenders Gayaza High School and Kololo SS, Jinja SS are fancied to take home their fourth straight crown when action bowls off this morning. “Despite a few departures, my side is ready to retain its title,” said Jinja SS coach Habibu Mugalula. Mugalula will be without the experienced trio of Janet Mbabazi, Racheal Ntono and 2013 Uspa Female Cricketer of the Year Prico Nakitende, who helped Jinja SS lift the Women’s Mehta Twenty20 Premier League in October last year. 
“Since the core of players like Damalie Busingye, Patricia Busingye, Immaculate Nakisuyi and Kevin Awino are still in the team, the new faces will easily blend into the side,” Mugalula noted.

PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS: Kilembe SS, Kyebambe Girls, Jinja SS, St. James SS, PMM Girls, Busoga High, Olila High, Masaka SS, Gayaza HS, Kololo SS, Ndejje SSS and King’s College Budo.

Past five winners
2010: Jinja Secondary School
2011: Gayaza High School
2012: Jinja Secondary School
2013: Jinja Secondary School
2014: Jinja Secondary School

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New Cricket Cranes skipper Brian Masaba is a man known for few words, serenity and precise judgment.

After guiding a new-look Team Uganda to an opening eight-wicket victory over Tanzania on Friday, Masaba believes his side can go on and produce a miraculous show at the Pepsi ICC Africa Division One Twenty20 Championship in Benoni, South Africa. 
“In spite of the obvious lack of experience in our side, we are still going out to win every game,” Masaba told Sunday Monitor via phone from the team base at Garden Court in Johannesburg.

“That’s how the game of T20 should be played,” the former U-19 skipper said. Such mentality is what Masaba will instill in his teammates today when they face Botswana in tournament Day Three at the Sahara Willowmoore Oval in Gauteng.

“We want to take one game at a time and slowly win back full trust from our fans back home,” he said. There could be bowling changes against the Karabo Modise-led side with Masaba opting for more spin as the wickets offer much turn.

And further, all debutants impressed coach Peter Kirsten in the victory over the Tanzanians which has ignited a growing aura of confidence in the team camp. 
Particularly, the South African tactician lauded Kamal Shahzad’s work rate after he took 1/32 as Tanzania set 128 for 7.

However, spinners Frank Nsubuga (2/12) and Henry Ssenyondo (2/8) stood out most with pivotal spells including the prize wicket of Abhik Patwa who was dropped early and went on to clobber four boundaries and five maximums for a 51-ball 73. Uganda’s reply received an early blessing when Arthur Kyobe (34 off 22) was dropped in the third over (23-0). The left-hander went on to put up an opening stand of 60 with his Challengers’ counterpart Arnold Otwan.

The latter briefly shared the crease with Shahzad (13 run-a-ball) and Otwan earned a precious maiden international half-ton of 51* off 40 deliveries in a match-winning 43-run third-wicket combo with explosive Jonathan Ssebanja (29 off 13) in the 15th over.
More decent batting against the Batswana could illuminate the Cricket Cranes’ chances in the quest for a berth at the ICC Global T20 Qualifier due Scotland from July 9 August 2.

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From the Rugby Elgon Cup, perennial Cecafa engagements and more, you do not need much to tell the sporting rivalry between Uganda and Kenya.
A new episode of this East African derby is on cards today when the two friendly foes clash at the oval today in Benoni, South Africa on Day Two of the Pepsi ICC Africa Division One Twenty20 Championship. 
This will be the sixth T20 meeting between both sides in four years as they pursue the two available slots to the ICC Global Qualifier scheduled for July 9 - August 2 in Scotland.

“We need to beat either of Kenya or Namibia to have a chance for a berth in Scotland,” Team Uganda captain Brian Masaba said. “Obviously, we know the Kenyans better and we are ready to throw everything at them for a result,”

Mission Scotland
The Cricket Cranes will not only be aiming to pay back 19-run defeat suffered in front of their home crowd at Lugogo as they surrendered their African Twenty20 title to Kenya in 2013, they know victory will help them inch closer to Scotland. 
“That was a painful loss to take and this is the perfect time for revenge,” said veteran spinner Frank Nsubuga. 
In that loss, Alex Obanda, who was dropped early on, blazed 64 off 47 to help Kenya set 156 for 5. 
With charged levels of adrenaline, top-scorer Deus Muhumuza (22 off 16) and Kenya’s Tanmay Mishra had to be calmed down as Uganda fell short on 137.

“Defeat against our brothers always leaves us wounded but we will be pumped up enough to erase such low memories on Saturday (today),” Nsubuga added. 
Whereas Uganda has a new look side that has seven eight new faces from the team that was in Windhoek, Kenya have kept faith with their tried and tested crop, adding only a few youngsters.

ICC AFRICA TWENTY20 DIVISION I CHAMPIONSHIP 
TODAY’S FIXTURES - BENONI, S. AFRICA
Uganda vs. Kenya 
Namibia vs. Ghana 
Kenya vs. Botswana

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Lawrence Ssempijja is an elated lad ever since he first made the cut to the 14-man Cricket Cranes side that will represent at the ICC Africa Division One Twenty20 Qualifier from March 28 - April 4 in Benoni, South Africa.
“Playing for the national team has always been my dream,” the Charity Trust Fund all-rounder told Daily Monitor recently. “This is my opportunity that I take with both hands.”
Ssempijja’s breakthrough came at the expense of seven senior players who were dropped after the failed January ICC World Cricket League (WCL) Division Two showpiece in Namibia. 
And the Senior Six vacationist knows he has to put in a great deal of effort and consistent performances if he is to keep his place even after South Africa. 
“I need to work harder than before if I am to stay on the national front until my late age,” said Ssempijja - a fanatic of legendary Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar.
“I made it to the national side because of my discipline and work ethic and for that matter, I need to perfect both aspects.”
Ssempijja’s decent variation of medium pace deliveries makes him a key talent for the team. He hopes to help Uganda earn one of the two available tickets to the Global T20 Qualifier in Scotland. 
“Ability to offer diverse deliveries can help keep us up the ranks. And even though I am bowler, I can bat and score runs while I fully experience what Team Uganda endures at the global stage,” 
Voted MVP at the 2013 ICC U-19 Africa WC Qualifiers, Ssempijja first held the bat and ball 10 years ago while at East Kololo P/S. He is the third member of his family to make the national folder after mentor Ronald Ssemanda and assistant captain Henry Ssenyondo. 
“Both of them have encouraged right from the time I was young and I believe I haven’t let them down.” His sibling Simon Ssesaazi is a reserve player for the Benoni-bound side.

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 It probably wasn’t appealing enough in the eyes of many as new skipper Brian Masaba was handed the national flag by National Council of Sports official David Katende during the Cricket Cranes’ flag-off at Lugogo to the Pepsi ICC Africa Twenty20 Championship on Wednesday.

The bitter truth is that the fraternity at large is either yet to brush off the recent failure at January ICC World Cricket League (ICC) Division II tourney in Namibia.

Or, many a fan were yet to offer full confidence to the faces in a new-look team that Masaba leads at this weekend’s continental showpiece in Johannesburg, South Africa.
“After that substandard show in Namibia, it is difficult to win over our fans that easily again,” Masaba concurred before the team flew out yesterday.

“But I urge the fans to count on us,” the batting all-rounder said. “The past is behind us and our vibrant side is ready to play and restore the pride of Ugandan cricket.” 

To quickly affirm his words, Masaba must mastermind an opening victory for the 2011 champions against southern neighbours Tanzania in Benoni this morning. “Once the players apply themselves as expected, we will be on course for a decent show,” added the former U-19 skipper. 
“Our two months of hard work must be vindicated with perfect start against the Tanzanians,” said Varinder Singh, one of the four debutants. 
“This is the time for some of us to perform and stamp our mark at the bigger stage,” another new comer Derrick Bakunzi, the current U-19 captain, chipped in.

With experienced Abram Mutyagaba having withdrawn from the set-up in the 1th hour, 2013’s tournament best batsman Arthur Kyobe (221 runs) will likely open the innings with 18-year-old Abdallah Lubega, who is having a second crack in the senior side after his short-lived first outing in 2011.

But Uganda must keenly watch Tanzania’s skipper Hamisi Abdallah, top order batsman Abhik Patwa, Athuman Kakonzi and enterprising all-rounder Benson Mwita.

The latter emerged the best bowler with an economy rate of 7.42 and 15 wickets as Tanzania finished third behind Uganda at the 2013 edition held in Kampala.

PEPSI ICC AFRICA TWENTY20 CHAMPIONSHIP
TODAY’S FIXTURES – BENONI (10am)
Uganda vs. Tanzania 
Namibia vs. Ghana 
Kenya vs. Botswana 

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Holders Challengers made a huge statement of intent by comfortably defeating star-studded Tornado B by 70 runs in a crunch National Twenty20 Cricket League tie at the lakeside oval in Entebbe on Sunday afternoon.
“We didn’t think it was going to come this easy,” Challengers’ skipper Mohammed Aneef told Daily Monitor soon after the one-sided show. The victory not only extended Challengers’ T20 unbeaten streak to seven matches this season but also to 13 since last season’s competition in March 2014. Challengers were reeling at 28-2 after 4.5 overs but opener Arthur Kyobe repaired the innings with an unbeaten powerful knock of 96.
The left-hander’s exhibition of controlled aggression comprised eight boundaries and four sixes. 
“I did everything right so it’s not my fault,” a delighted Kyobe said when asked whether he didn’t rue missing out on a ton by four runs.
To highlight his intensity in the 69-ball knock, Kyobe scored 12 runs off left-armer Charles Waiswa’s third over and pummeled another 18 off the paceman’s final over as Challengers set 144 for 6. 
And once Aneef (3/15) bowled opener Roger Mukasa for a golden duck, it was all over for Tornado B.

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Uganda’s U-19 national cricket side – The Baby Cricket Cranes - fly in from Dar es Salaam this evening knowing the hard work starts now and they cannot afford to rest on their laurels.

Henry Okecho’s boys whitewashed Tanzania by 125 runs in the final round of the Pepsi ICC Africa U-19 Cricket World Cup qualifier played at the Dar es Salaam Gymkhana Oval yesterday.

Man of match Collins Okwalinga (7/14) and spinner Frank Akakwansa (3/13) bowled out Tanzania for 44 runs in 22 overs after Abdallah Lubega (52), Zephaniah Arinaitwe (21) and Rogers Olipa (25) had helped Uganda set 169 in 46 overs – their biggest total of the tournament.

The massive win guaranteed that Uganda finished second and booked the solitary berth allocated to the continent for the global qualifier scheduled for Bangladesh later this year. Both Uganda (0.686) and Kenya (0.131) finished tied on six points but the former edged through courtesy for a better Net Run Rate (NRR).

Namibia (eight points) won the showpiece and walk straight into the 2016 Youth World Cup in Bangladesh despite falling to Kenya by four wickets yesterday.

The global qualifier, which will feature all the second-place finishers from the five ICC regions, comes as a reprieve to the Ugandans who almost bottled it. Only the champion of the global qualifier will progress to the main World Cup.

“We withheld their daily allowances for the two days they played poor cricket,” head of delegation Dennis Musali told Daily Monitor. “And our actions worked as the boys woke up and put on a clinical show against the hosts.”

AFRICA U-19 WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS
Final qualifying round - results
Uganda 169/10 Tanzania 44/10
Namibia 101/10 Kenya 103/6
Nigeria 72/10 Botswana 63/10

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