Coach backs Uganda to defend T20 title
The Ugandan team at Lugogo yesterday. PHOTO BY eddie chicco.
What you need to know:
Martin Suji names 18-man squad but ignores Australian-born Mitch Horrocks for the tournament.
Saturday friendly results
Uganda XI 128/4 Nigeria 129/6
Uganda XI 133/10 Nigeria 108/9
NATIONAL T20 LEAGUE RESULTS
Charity TF 179/7 Warriors 123/9
SVPC 94/9 Charity TF 98/5
SVPC 109/5 SKLPS 110/9
SKLPS 66/10 Warriors 67/2
KICC 140/8 JICC 86/10
Rounders 142/6 KICC 120/7
Rounders 180/4 Makerere 136/10
JACC 54/10 Nile 55/0
Jinja SS 114/9 Nile 116/3
Opening fixtures
Saturday at Lugogo
Botswana vs. Tanzania (10am)
Uganda vs. Nigeria (2pm)
At Kyambogo
Uganda vs. Kenya (10am)
Kenya vs. Tanzania (2pm)
KAMPALA.
National men’s team cricket coach Martin Suji is in no doubt Uganda can defend the ICC Africa T20 Division 1 qualifying tournament starting Saturday in Kampala.
“I have great confidence in these players,” Suji said shortly after unveiling the 18-man team to compete in the tournament ending on March 1. Uganda upstaged Namibia to win the 2011 edition at Lugogo and Suji feels his boys are in the right shape to repeat the feat after close to two months of intensive training.
“Whoever has got the chance [to be included on the team] must use it wisely,” Suji, who will have to lead Uganda against his native Kenya along the way, added. There were hardly any surprises in the team named by the technical committee yesterday with Davis Karashani retaining the captaincy. He will be deputised by Frank Nsubuga. “We know the task at hand. We have to give our best to win in front of our fans,” Karashani said.
Nsubuga, Charles Waiswa, Arthur Ziraba, Richard Okia, Ronald Semanda and Daniel Ruyange return to the side having missed out on the friendly series tour to United Arab Emirates (UAE) last month. There was no place, however, for Australian-born Mitch Horrocks and Denis Tabby, the two having travelled with the team to UAE. Uganda will face off with Botswana, Kenya, Tanzania and Nigeria hoping to snatch one of the two tickets to the Global World Cup Qualifiers due September in Dubai.
The hosts open with a double header against Kenya and Tanzania on Saturday. Botswana arrive on Thursday with Kenya and Tanzania jetting in a day later.
