Uganda and Kenya cross paths again on Saturday 14th July 2018 at Gahanga International Cricket Stadium. A look at the numbers from Game 1 mark DM Gondaria as the man to silence if Uganda must pull one back on their neighbors; and in turn Uganda's RG Mukasa is conspicuously absent in the mayhem in Kigali where it matters most.

Partnerships win games they say in coaching. Beneath that adage lies factors like timing, rate and the players involved that they won't Coach.  

All the ingredients were just right for Kenya to obliterate an intimidating target of 240 at Gahanga International Cricket Stadium.

The right players showed up at the right time and with just the right momentum to accomplish the take at hand; something Uganda may need to tweak in the return fixture if they must leave Kigali on even terms. 

DM Nakrani and RA Shah have developed just the kind of chemistry at the wicket  every opponent dreads.

Highest Partnership by runs;

Partners  Runs Wkt
DN Nakrani, RA Shah 167* 4th 


Riazat Ali Shah and Dinesh Maganlal Nakrani lead the way with their mammoth unbeaten 167* against Kenya for the fourth wicket on the opening day. But it wasn’t enough to lead the Cranes to victory.

Goes to show that down in Kigali, it is under what conditions the partnership was built that count.

Asked to bat first by Shem Ngoche on the Gahanga Cricket Ground; the two explosive batsmen seemed to have done enough to set up Uganda for a defendable total of 240.

The downside is the chasing side always have a set RRR in mind over their innings, allowing for planning batting orders, attacking momentum and pacing the innings which Kenya got right from ball one.

The big fourth wicket stand was chipped away by Kenya’s assiduous fight-back of useful but timely partnerships;

DN Ghondaria, AA Obanda  75 1st Kenya
DN Ghondaria, RK Patel 54 2nd Kenya 
DN Ghondaria, CA Obuya  59 3rd Kenya

 

In 15 overs, 3 partnerships had erased a deficit of 188 at approximately 13 an over with Recquired run rate at 12 an over. Kenya always ahead of the run chase.Diren Gondaria and Alex Obanda- 75 (1st Wicket) at a RR of 15, Diren Gondaria and Rakep Patel- 54 (2nd Wicket) at a RR of 10, Gondaria and Obuya Collins- 59 (3rd Wicket) at a RR of 14.75.

The top 3 partnerships had negated the big partnership of 167 which was moving at 13 an over for 13 overs to the end of the Uganda innings. From then on it was even and whoever kicked on from this point was a sure winner.

The difference however may have been the fact that the start for Uganda was ‘slow’ and this is where Kenya had the edge. Having cancelled out the huge partnership at the start; Kenya needed to move ahead of how the Uganda top order began the day to edge the thriller.

Roger Mukasa and Hamu Kayondo 38 (1st wicket) flew out of the blocks at 12.6 an over but with the loss of Hamu the Run Rate slowed down to 8 an over for the next four overs up till Nakrani and Riazat settled at the crease.

There was a case for needing to build momentum before going for the kill for Nakrani and Shah ; but this came at cost of allowing the opponent to later capitalize on the overs they took to settle in once they got going.

In a game of thin margins and quick swing of momentum; there was always the high chance that Kenya who kicked off the innings at 13 an over and ahead of the RRR;  and maintained the destructive momentum through to the end were always going to edge it.

One could argue that DM Gondaria was dropped a couple of times but like Steve Waugh said, that is a gap in the field and it was well exploited on the day. The opener falling 10 short of a century. 

Game 2; Saturday 14th July 2018;

Uganda will look to keep DM Gondaria off the wicket or away from the strike as much as possible, he is in good form and will be a match winner.

The partnerships involving Gondaria, Rakep and Obuya have turned games for Kenya and if broken early, there is the high chance they will falter.

Kenya on the other hand will be looking at curbing Uganda’s most destructive batsman again. RG Mukasa is yet to click with partner HB Kayondo and the opponents will be looking to turn the trick gain and keep them quiet.

The onus now falls on Uganda’s talisman to turn the afterburners on for Saturday and allow the team to build partnerships around him, that way, DM Nakrani and RA Shah will apply the finishing touches in the only way they know how.

The technical bench of both camps will know the key to breaking the opponents courage and fight, but those who are keen on reading the numbers well will know when the game is in their hands.