Eight-Match Series in Chikhil, Surat District – Gujarat State
Yesterday’s results in Chikhil
Game 5 – Twenty20 – February 20
United Cricketers of Baroda XI 110 for 8 lost to Uganda
116 for 6 by four wickets and six balls to spare.
Toss: Won by Uganda captain Roger Mukasa and he elected to bat
FIRST INNINGS
United Cricketers of Baroda XI Batting
Aayush Rai 32 runs off 41 balls (1 four & 1 six)
Kartik Kakade 17 runs off 13 balls (2 sixes)
Uganda Bowling
Dinesh Nakrani (3 wickets for 15 runs in 4 overs)
Emmanuel Isaneez (2 wickets for 12 runs in 4 overs)
Henry Ssenyondo (2 wickets for 17 runs in 2 overs)
SECOND INNINGS
Uganda Batting
Dinesh Nakrani 32 runs off 27 balls (3 fours & 2 sixes)
Roger Mukasa 21 runs off 24 balls (3 fours)
United Cricketers of Baroda XI Bowling
Aadil Shaikh (3 wickets for 19 runs in 4 overs)
Harsh Galimatte (2 wickets for 12 runs in 3 overs)
Man of Match: Dinesh Nakrani
Game 6 – Twenty20 - February 20
Stallions Cricket Club 67 all out lost to Uganda 69 for 7
in 18.4 overs by three wickets and eight balls to spare.
Toss: Won by Stallions Cricket Club captain Barghan Desai who chose to bat
FIRST INNINGS
Stallions Cricket Club XI Batting
Dhruv Patrekar 13 runs off 14 balls (2 fours)
Ronak Prakesh 12 runs off 12 balls (2 fours)
Uganda Bowling
Brian Masaba (3 wickets for 6 runs in 3 overs)
Frank Nsubuga (2 wickets for 7 runs in 3 overs)
Dinesh Nakrani (2 wickets for 8 runs in 2.1 overs)
SECOND INNINGS
Uganda Batting
Ronak Patel 17 runs off 36 balls (1 four)
Kenneth Waiswa 7 runs off 18 balls
United Cricketers of Baroda XI Bowling
Jash Desai (3 wickets for 12 runs in 4 overs)
Mahesh Yadav (2 wickets for 12 runs in 4 overs)
Barghan Desai (2 wickets for 14 runs in 4 overs)
Man of Match: Brian Masaba
Today – 40-Over Match
Bharuch District C.A vs. Uganda
QUICK POINTERS
- The scoreboard may be reading 6-0 in favour of the Cricket Cranes but today is arguably the toughest day the Ugandans have faced since jetting into India and checking in at the Shiv Venetian – home of the Sanjay Cricket Farm.
- Like any wicket that has played quite a number of matches, the Mohanlal Desai Cricket Ground turf has given way and was bound to give palpable assistance to the slow bowlers on the day when Match 5 and 6 of the tour where scheduled to take place.
- The United Cricketers of Baroda made the short five-hour road trip from Baroda, spent a night at a friend’s place in Chikhil and drove 7 kilometers in the morning to honour the fixture.
- Knowing what was coming their way, the Cricket Cranes technical bench selected all the seniors for the match apart from wicket-keeper Fred Achelam, who was resting for only the first time since the tour started in Doha, Qatar.
- Roger Mukasa called right for the first time when the coin was flicked. He chose to bat first and worked the magic with ambitious field settings and expert bowling rotations.
- Emmanuel Isaneez (2/12) was all over the Baroda side like a bad rash and together with Dinesh Nakrani (3/15), the pair skittled through the opposition as it huffed and puffed its way to 110. The chase was a work of the top-order with top three; Zephaniah Arinaitwe (11), Hamu Kayondo (16) and Mukasa (21) contributing to the cause before Baroda’s spinners pounced to leave Uganda reeling at 63 for 5 in 12.2 overs. Left-hander Nakrani came to the crease with his long handle and fearlessly hit a matching winning 32 runs off 27 balls.
- Mukasa and a host of seniors were rested for the evening game as Masaba took over the captaincy mantle again. Masaba, didn’t win the toss, but more than made up for it by leading the selected side with the clinical expertise of a surgeon. Having revamped his bowling style from right-arm medium pace to leg-spin, Masaba returned jaw-dropping figures of 3 for 6 in 3 overs to leave Stallions Cricket Club from Valsad reeling at 49 for 6 11.2 overs.
- The tail-enders were no match for Uganda’s attack with veteran ace Frank Nsubuga (2 for 7 in 3) and Nakrani (2 for 8 in 2.1) chipping in as Stallions collapsed for 67 all out in 17.1 overs.
- And with the wicket in such ‘sorry’ state, no one expected Uganda to breeze past the paltry set target. As envisaged, the spectacular collapse was temporarily on as Stallions’ brigade of slow bowlers cut through Uganda’s inexperienced top and middle-order at 54 for 5.
- Barghan Desai (2 for 14 in 4), Mahesh Yadav (2 for 12 in 4) and Jash Desai (3 for12 in 4) wreaked havoc. And it was only Ronak Patel (17 off 36) who reached double figures and when he departed at 64 for 7, it required Nsubuga only one scoring shot, a four, to ensure a three-wicket win with eight balls remaining.
- The series might be done and dusted as a contest but coach Steve Tikolo will be demanding victory in the remaining two 40-Over rubbers as team chases a rare CLEAN SWEEP.
