YESTERDAY - ICC WCL DIVISION IV
At UKM Cricket Oval.
Uganda 249-5 (50 overs) R Mukasa 97, HB Kayondo 55, Riazat Ali Shah 33; C Outerbridge 2-46 beat Bermuda 60 (21.4 overs) Mohammed Irfan 6-23, F Nsubuga 2-27 by 189 runs.
At Royal Selangor Club.
Jersey 238-6 (50 overs) N Watkins 86, B Stevens 69; A Bulow 2-30, S Ahmad, 2-36 Basir Shah 2-67 lost to Denmark 114-3 (21.5 overs) F Klokker 39, Zameer Khan 38
by 7 wickets (DLS Target).
At Kinrara Academy Oval.
Malaysia 196 (43.5 overs) Ahmed Faiz 86; A Mansale 2-13, A Stephen 2-31, N Nipiko 2-33 beatVanuatu 173 (49.3 overs) S Deitz 46; Syed Aziz 2-22, Muhamad Syahadat 2-28 by 23 runs
Points Standings After Round Two
|
TEAM |
M |
W |
L |
PTS |
NRR |
|
DENMARK |
2 |
2 |
0 |
4 |
0.709 |
|
MALAYSIA |
2 |
2 |
0 |
4 |
0.320 |
|
UGANDA |
2 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
1.800 |
| JERSEY |
2 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
0.990 |
| VANUATU |
2 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
-0.938 |
| BERMUDA | 2 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
-2.330 |
Uganda needed a quick response after yesterday’s controversial nine-run loss to Malaysia at the on-going International Cricket Council (ICC) World Cricket League (WCL) Division IV tournament in Kuala Lumpur.
And the Cricket Cranes rivals’ today; Bermuda felt the wrath of an angered and wounded lion (read Uganda) as they collapsed to a heavy 189-run loss.
There was no luck for captain Roger Mukasa at the toss; but who needs luck when they’re good enough? Certainly not Mukasa and his men who went about their roles in a responsible way when asked to bat first at the UKM-YSD Oval in Bangi.
Unpredictable state of UKM
The previous day had seen Jersey bundle out Vanuatu for a paltry 104 runs enroute to a seven-wicket victory at the same oval. But Bermuda failed to exploit the conditions on the dusty University pitch that has only been in play since January and hosting only an international tournament for the first time.
Although the Bermudans prized out jittery opening batsman Simon Ssesazi (3 off 21) early, Cricket Cranes skipper Mukasa led a rearguard that bordered a lot on survival and the tactic worked three fold.
Mukasa didn’t try anything fancy in his tandem second-wicket partnership of 137 runs with Hamu Kayondo (55 off 95).
By the time the former was brilliantly run out three shy of a beautiful century for 97 runs off 135 balls courtesy of a direct hit from Steven Bremar Jr. at the boundary as he attempted to complete a second run in vain, Uganda were in a good place on 216 runs for the loss of four wickets in 46.5 overs.
Only one more wicket fell thereafter as Uganda sought to accelerate further with Mohammed ‘Afridi’ Irfan (25 off 21), Riazat Shah (33 off 17), Deus Muhumuza (11* off 9) and Kenneth Waiswa (4* off 4) cashing in at the back-end of the innings as Steve Tikolo’s men reached 249 for 5 in the allotted 50 overs.
Spinning a cobweb
In the second innings, only one Bermuda batsman - Charles Trott (17 off 34) - reached double figures as his side miserably crumbled like a pack of cards for 60 runs inside 22 overs.
Mystery man Irfan bowled lines of deceit with no batsman able to play him as he claimed international career best figures of 6 for 23 including four maidens in his 10-over spell to scoop the Man of Match award.
old-wily veteran Frank Nsubuga (2/27 in 10) was happy to play second fiddle whereas the spinning duo of Brian Masaba (1/2) and Henry Ssenyondo (1/7) wrapped up the match to ensure Uganda bounces back with an impressive Net Run Rate of 1.800 - something that could prove vital at the business end of the meet as has been the norm at other WCL events.
Perfect pair for Malaysia, Denmark
Elsewhere at the Royal Selangor Club, Denmark had the rain to thank for the seven-wicket Duckworth Lewis Stuart (DLS) win over Jersey in a rain-shortened affair. The latter must have felt comfortable after they set 238 for 6 in the allotted 50 overs.
But a rain intervention saw DLS calculations state that they needed 114 in 23 overs and from 55 for no loss, they breezed home with seven balls to spare.
The hosts Malaysia left it late once again with a 23-run triumph over winless Vanuatu at the KinraraAcademy Oval.
Former Malaysia skipper Ahmed Faiz scored 86 runs as the hosts set a nervy total of 196.
Vanuatu huffed and puffed as Malaysia’s slow bowlers built the pressure and the former’s gallant fight ended on 173 in 49.3 overs.
Round Three is scheduled for May 2 with the top two teams at the six-nation showpiece securing progress to the ICC WCL Division III tier.
