Focus now switches to Div III
Cricket Cranes players pose with the trophy outside Cafe Javas at Kisementi yesterday. PHOTO BY E. CHICCO
KAMPALA- Players’ faces were evidently weary following an unexpected non-stop schedule and inevitably, joy was only confined as Team Uganda returned from Malaysia as ICC World Cricket League (WCL) Division Four champions yesterday.
After a two-hour journey from Entebbe Airport to Kampala, team captain Roger Mukasa and company would later free up after relaxing during a luncheon in company of Uganda Cricket Association by National Council of Sports at Café Javas in Kamwokya.
“The boys played world class cricket,” Mukasa told Daily Monitor. Coach Steve Tikolo’s side had only travelled back hours after defending 90 runs to beat Jersey by seven runs in the final match in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday.
Close shaves punctuated Uganda’s success with the 1-run win over Denmark standing out most. Victory over Jersey was the fourth in a row as the East Africa nation responded to the opening 9-run loss to Malaysia.
“We give it all to our fans and we urge them to keep supporting us. In sport, you win and lose,” Mukasa said.
“The wickets were spinning as we expected and it means the trial games we had in Rwanda, Qatar, India and against Saudi Arabia really helped us a lot.”
Spinner Muhammad Afridi was the best bowler having taken 15 wickets and 15 maidens from 55 overs in the competition.
There is no much time to celebrate as Team Uganda will play at two continental Twenty20 events in Rwanda and Kenya next month before the WCL Division Three falls in.
Division Three which comprises Oman, Kenya, Singapore, USA, Uganda and Denmark is more crucial.
“We’ve beaten all those teams before. We play never-say-die cricket until the final ball. So we shall not lay our hands down, we are going to work on what did not go right in Malaysia.” added Mukasa before the tired batch parted ways at dusk.
