Bilateral Cricket Series in Doha
Summary For 45-Over Match – Feb 11
Qatar President’s XI 244/7 in 45 overs beat
Uganda 232/10 in 45 overs by 12 runs.
Toss: Won by Uganda captain Roger Mukasa who elected to field.
FIRST INNINGS
Qatar President’s XI Batting
Mohammed Waleed 64 off 87 (5 fours and I six)
Gayan Anoop 34 off 16 (2 fours and 2 sixes)
Uganda Bowling
Henry Ssenyondo (2 wickets for 53 runs in 9 overs)
Irfan Afridi (1 wicket for 24 runs in 7 overs)
SECOND INNINGS
Uganda Batting
Deus Muhumuza 62 off 86 (3 fours)
Kenneth Waiswa 45 off 24 (4 fours & 1 six)
Simon Ssesaazi 34 off 29 (5 fours & 1 six)
Qatar Bowling
Tamoor Sajjad (3 wickets for 35 runs in 9 overs)
Mohammed Mugheeb (2 wickets for 59 runs in 9 overs)
QUICK POINTERS
1. This was the first Day Game played by the Cricket Cranes on this tour. It was at the same 11,000-seater Asian Town Cricket Stadium in Doha.
2. Cricket Cranes captain Roger Mukasa increased his toss win-ratio to 75% after four games when he called right. Tails was his call.
3. Coach Steve Tikolo gave a debut cap to opening bowler Trevor Bukenya and the teenager acquainted himself well in a four-over spell during which he prized out Qatar President XI opening batsman Usman Ushantha for five at give Uganda an early breakthrough at 14 for 1 in 2.3 overs.
4. A debut for Bukenya meant that Bilal Hassun would get some desired rest after playing the first three games of the tour. Explosive opening batsman Zephaniah Arinaitwe returned to the side together with Irfan Afridi.
5. Playing three back-to-back games seemed to take a toll on the Cricket Cranes with a below-par shift in the field that saw them give away 20 runs in extras. The Qataris only gave away 2 extras. The bowlers also served very many boundary balls that were tucked away by the batsman. And considering Uganda lost by two runs, the mathematics is clear. Numbers don’t lie!
6. There was no man of match award for Team Uganda on Match Day 4 but all-rounder Deus Muhumuza and left-hand opening batsman Simon Ssesaazi continued to cement their reputations as the ‘super finds’ of the tour. Muhumuza got 62 off 86 runs in an innings whose solidity was justified by just three boundaries. Sesaazi also flourished at the top with a free-flowing 34 off 29 whereas former U-19 captain Kenneth Waiswa ensured Uganda would lose honourably with an adventurous 45 runs not out off just 24 balls.
7. And considering Qatar President’s XI bowled spinners for 31 of the 45 overs, Uganda will take many positives from the game considering that batting against spin has been our Achilles Heel for eons. The 12-run loss didn’t hurt as much, if face expressions and body language of the Ugandan camp was anything to go by.
Sneak Peek into Day 6 & 7 – February 12 & 13:
Deserved Day Off. Team meeting at the team’s camp – City Centre Rotana Hotel scheduled for 10am. Tour of the championship course at Doha Golf Club and sight-seeing of the 2022 World Cup venues and a visit to Aspire Zone which boasts of some of the world's finest sport training facilities. The Qatar Cricket Association (QCA) will also host the Cricket Cranes to dinner thereafter. February 13 is a Qatar National Sport Day and Uganda will participate in the day’s celebrations by playing a Twenty20 against the Qataris at 9am. The day was officially turned into a public holiday to commemorate among other things Qatar winning the bid to host the 2022 Fifa World Cup.
