False start for Cricket Cranes at ICC league

A devastated Ugandan side

KAMPALA.

Cricket Cranes hopes of adding a second win in eight meetings against Canada were today dashed as the visitors won by 66 runs in the first game of the ICC World Cricket League Division Three at the Lugogo Oval.

Most of the damage was done by Rizwan Cheema who scored 91 runs off 44 balls to set Canada on course for 234 runs after the game was reduced to 42 overs when rain delayed the start by two and a half hours.
Canada, coached by Uganda born Henry Osinde won the toss and opted to bat as the sky threatened to open.
Games at the Kyambogo (where Singapore defeated Malaysia by Seven wickets) and Entebbe (Oman beat USA by four wickets) had also suffered the same fate.

At the Lugogo Oval, however, Charles Waiswa got the start Uganda desired when he dismissed Bhavindu Shakya Adhihetty for 12 with the batsman trapped leg before wicket.

The strike bowler then ran out Nitish Roenick Kumar on 43 and then had Navneet Singh Dhaliwal hit his own wicket on 15 much to the delight of the fans that had braved the cold to support the Cricket Cranes.

Amarbir Singh Hansra was then dismissed for a golden duck by captain Davis Karashani in the 15th over. At 104/5, the hosts were firmly on top and the unusually packed stands were buzzing.

Then came Riwaz Cheema. He did more than steadied Canada’s innings. Falling just nine runs short of the first century in the six-team tournament, Pakistan-born Cheema turned the tide.

His partnership with Pathirana yielded 105 runs 10.2 overs. He was eventually caught by Ukani Shahzad but by then Cricket Cranes had a mountain to climb.
Cracks seemed to show when the opening partnership of Ham Kayondo and Arthur Kyobe fell within two balls of each other in the first over.

First, Kyobe was caught by Hamza Tariq after a good delivery from Pervez while Kayondo was dismissed by Dhaliwal at 4/2 in 1.2 overs.

By the 16th over, Uganda was at 64/4 after the dismissals of Arnold Otwani and Ukani Shahzad. Mohamed Irfan, who posted Uganda’s best score of 31 runs was run out by Pervez.

Cranes misery was compounded by Ham Ssenyondo’s dismissal for naught.

“It is a long tournament and we cannot panic. One game at a time for now. We have to polish up against Malaysia tomorrow (today),” Cricket Cranes coach Steve Tikolo said after.

Action resumes on Wednesday at Entebbe, where Uganda host Singapore.