ICC WCL DIVISION IV

Yesterday’s results

Uganda 215/8 (130) Denmark 129/1o

Uganda won by 1 run (DLS Method)

Bermuda 181/9 Vanuatu 183/6

Vanuatu won by four wickets

Jersey 270/8 (232) Malaysia 221/7

Jersey won by 10 runs (DLS Method)

Points Table After Round IV

Team   P  W  L  T  Pts NRR

Uganda   4  3  1  0  6  1.464

Denmark  4  3  1  0   6  0.510

Jersey     4  2  2  0  4  0.174

Malaysia   4  2  2  0  4  -0.057

Vanuatu   4  1  3  0  2  -0.866

Bermuda 4  1 3 0  2  -0.879

The Kinrara Academy Oval in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia is making itself a name as the home of one-run skirmishes.

Overall Uganda has been involved in five such skirmishes during its 20-year history as an International Cricket Council (ICC) Associate Nation.

The Cricket Cranes have won four of those; two against Denmark, one against Hong Kong and another over Singapore with the single loss to Papua New Guinea in 2014.

Each of them has been as dramatic, and as entertaining.

But at Kinrara, Uganda relived the moments in two thrilling Limited Overs (50 Overs) games that have been of equal importance.

Third successive

The first one in 2015 was against Singapore and it was the catalyst as Uganda secured promotion to Division II. And the most recent one against Denmark on May 3, was also a cracker and it literally left the Cricket Cranes with one foot onto the Airbus to the next Division III showpiece later this year.

And this victory at the ongoing International Cricket Council (ICC) World Cricket League (WCL) Division IV in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia was all important.

It was the third successive for the Cricket Cranes and helped them draw level on six points with Denmark but Steve Tikolo’s boys took the top spot on the standings after Round IV of the games courtesy of a better Net Run Rate (NRR) of 1.464.

Magical moment

But Uganda captain Roger Mukasa produced a memorable final over full of magical moments as he defended five runs in the rain-shortened game that had a new target of 131 after being reduced to 29 overs. 

After all his trusted bowlers had been hit around the pack as the Danes breezed in on the set 57 runs in 5.2 overs with 7 wickets in hand, Mukasa introduced himself into the attack.

His part time off-spinners brought mayhem with Anique Uddin (2) getting run out by Brian Masaba off the first ball of the over and was followed back to the pavilion by Basit Raja (0) who was adjudged Leg Before Wicket (LBW) the next ball. 

Needing two runs for victory, Jonas Henriksen (6) flashed hard outside off-stump but was caught by Irfan Afridi on the fifth ball before Bashir Shah (1) got himself run out by Fran Nsubuga while attempting a suicidal second run trying to secure a tie on the last ball of the innings to hand Uganda a memorable win.

Wild celebrations

And with the Ugandan ship looking destined to sink, Mukasa’s six-ball spell turned it around with four wickets to complete a heroic turn around that was wildly celebrated on the oval as the Ugandan dugout, reserves sprinted ontot the field to celebrate the famous win.

Uganda had earlier set 215 for 8 with Under-19 graduates Kenneth Waiswa (37 off 17) and Fred Achelam (39 off 28), who won the Man of Match award, adding 60 runs in the last five overs to help build a solid total for Uganda’s bowlers to defend.