Meeting The Legend: Uganda's Lutaaya (R) listens and learns from South African Legend AB de Villiers during a training session at Centurion. ALL PHOTOS/SUPERSPORT PARK INSTAGRAM PAGE

September 10 - Uganda’s 22-year-old batting talent Ronald Lutaaya is leaving no stone unturned at the SuperSport Park International Cricket Academy (SPICA) in Centurion, Tshwane. Since his arrival on August 15, the left-hander has stamped his mark with a series of eye-catching knocks, confirming his readiness to step up as one of Uganda’s batting pillars.

Lutaaya – fondly nicknamed “Big Rolly” by his academy mates – has already registered back-to-back half-centuries, becoming the first batter at SPICA to do so. His 94 off 91 balls against North West Academy and 60 off 54 against North West Union 1st XI showcased his ability to adapt and dominate. He also played a pivotal role in SPICA’s historic one-wicket victory over Gauteng Lions Academy, setting the tone with a brisk 44 in a record run chase of 321.

In total, the Kyambogo-bred youngster has posted 275 runs across six games, including powerful cameos of 38 (23) and 39 (19), reaffirming his reputation as a free-hitting left-hander with flair.

Game Awareness. Former South Africa, Indian Premier League and Titans superstar Chris Morris (R) talks to Lutaaya about hitting out under pressure in the death overs. 

Speaking about his experience, Lutaaya said:

“We are all working to become more equipped international players and such set-ups help us mature quickly. The experience here will help us become true professionals. The training is specialized and everyone is catered for. We continue to go through our processes and hopefully everything continues working out as it is now.”

The academy program has exposed Lutaaya to cutting-edge coaching under Richard Das Neves, formerly Titans’ head coach, as well as masterclasses from icons such as Chris Morris, who focused on death bowling pressure scenarios, and AB de Villiers, who shared elite batting insights on spin mastery and innovative stroke play.

Hand-Eye Coordination: Lutaaya drills a powerful drive down the ground targeting the usually vacant sightscreen area to score an imaginary boundary.

Cricket Uganda (CU) Hon. Secretary, Denis Musali, hailed Lutaaya’s efforts and underlined the association’s vision:

“Lutaaya’s progress in Centurion highlights why we must continue to secure these opportunities. In the past, players like Guy Kimbowa, Richard Okia, Lawrence Ssematimba, Frank Nsubuga, Arthur Kyobe, Kenneth Kamyuka, and Patrick Ochan attended academies in South Africa, returned more polished, and went on to win many caps for the Cricket Cranes. We are committed to ensuring more of our current and upcoming talents benefit from such enriching high-performance setups.”

The 17-man camp at SPICA features players from South Africa, Nigeria, Japan and Uganda, with Lutaaya flying the Pearl of Africa’s flag high. His stay runs until mid-month, based at Centurion Lake Hotel, just a stone’s throw from the iconic SuperSport Park Stadium.

As the Cricket Cranes prepare for a demanding international calendar, Lutaaya’s journey at SPICA is seen as both a personal breakthrough and a strong statement about the importance of investing in world-class player development.

Showing How Its Done: The Head of Academy Programme, Coach Richard das Neves, shows Lutaaya the importance of batting with an open stance to maximize scoring opportunities.

This initiative and Cricket Uganda (CU)’s determination to seize such opportunities clearly demonstrate the organization’s commitment to applying the newly adopted High Performance and Pathways structures introduced last year and facilitated by Cricket South Africa’s Edward Khoza during a recent workshop conducted at Hotel Africana in Kampala.

CU’s Head of High Performance & Pathways, Richard Okia, echoed the sentiment:

“You have seen the work we are doing with the hubs. The recent girls’ camp at Jinja SS Oval, the boys’ camp right after the Skyview Boys Schools Cricket Week in Fort Portal, and the inter-squad games between Uganda A and Uganda Emerging are all part of the high performance and pathways framework. We are fostering development and inclusivity while maintaining a strong high-performance focus. Lutaaya’s involvement in the Titans set-up means he will return a more refined player with greater awareness.”

 

Class Day: Coach Richard das Neves takes the academy batsmen including Uganda's Lutaaya (2nd R) through a video analysis session on technique. 

Lutaaya’s Scores at SPICA (August–September 2025)

  • August 26: 94 off 91 balls vs. North West Academy – 50-Over Game
  • August 27: 60 off 54 balls vs. North West Union 1st XI – 50-Over Game
  • August 28: 44 off 37 balls vs. Central Gauteng Academy – 50-Over Game
  • August 29: 38 off 23 balls vs. Central Gauteng Academy – T20 Game
  • August 29: 1 off 4 balls vs. North West Union 1st XI – T20 Game
  • September 7: Did Not Bat vs. Tuks XI – T20 Game
  • September 7: 39 off 19 balls vs. Tuks XI – T20 Game

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