Nanderenga retires

Women’s cricket in Uganda took a big leap last year after the national team won the Africa T20 Championship. Following the triumph that came at the expense of countries like Namibia, Nigeria, Kenya and Tanzania, a lot is expected from the Ugandan team going forward.

This year, their biggest assignment is the T20 World Cup qualifiers in Tanzania. But the team will tackle that task without Mary Nanderenga.
Missy, as she is popularly known, has announced her retirement fom national team engagements.

The 27-year-old had returned to the game from maternity leave in January last year and was part of the Africa Championship winning team despite missing two games through injury. “I have given up,” Nanderenga, one of the more experienced players on the team told SCORE.

“I came back to enjoy cricket but that did not happen.” Nanderenga has a total of four caps for Uganda with a highest score of 26 against Rwanda.
Very passionate about her role on the team, she worked hard and spent more time in the nets than many.

The team’s first choice wicket keeper, Nanderenga took two crucial catches in the Uganda-Kenya clash during the T20 and injured her finger going for the third. She also put on 14 runs in that game.

When skipper Barbara Mukankusi decided to change things by opening alongside Scovia Akello against Namibia, Nanderenga was unhappy. Uganda lost that game by a single run. Mukankusi later defended her choice and rightfully so because like any other cricket game, the result could have been the same even with Nanderenga batting first.

The line-up changed again and Carol Namugenyi was tasked with opening the batting against Tanzania. The partnership of Mukankusi and Namugenyi proved better for the team, which won all the other games. At this point, Nanderenga’s finger was too swollen to allow her play but she remained discontented.

“They used me only as a wicket keeper, yet I knew I was good enough to open the batting too,” Nanderenga complained. But her husband Patrick Makumbi feels Nanderenga could have quit because of politicking in the team. “I convinced Mary to play cricket again but it has not been a rosy comeback,” Makumbi, who is also a cricket umpire, said. “It seems some players wield more powers than the coach and manager.” “We in cricket have allowed a few players to personalise women’s cricket and have ended up losing very good players such as the Isabirye sisters (Justine Musubika, Hellen Naudo and Betty Kalende), ” Makumbi, speaking in a bitter tone, added.

A lot to offer
However, skipper Mukankusi reckons Nanderenga will reverse her decision. “I think she (Mary) should not quit because she was unhappy with proceedings in a single tournament. She still has a lot to offer,” said skipper Mukankusi. “The coach had only worked with us a few months, so I was involved in picking who does what and it worked. ”

Nanderenga will continue playing for Wanderers in the women’s league. She finished the 2011 season as Woman of Series with a highest score of 54 against Gayaza High School. She is one of three players selected to attend a cricket academy in South Africa next month.

“I was selected as a cricketer and not a national team player so I will go,” said Naderenga, maintaining that she will not reverse her decision to retire.