Lady Cricket Cranes out to enjoy UAE T20 experience

Lady cricket Cranes players pose for a selfie before jetting out of the country for the UAE International Women’s Twenty20 Cup which gets underway today. photo BY EDDIE CHICCO

What you need to know:

Cricket. Coach Otieno’s charges take on Oman at the Sharjah Stadium this afternoon

KAMPALA.

Besides the few on business duty, most people heading to United Arab Emirates (UAE) at this time of the year are holiday-bound.

The Uganda national ladies’ cricket team arrived in UAE constituent emirate Sharjah on Monday for neither business nor pleasure.
The Lady Cricket Cranes are one of the invited nations for the UAE International Women’s Twenty20 Cup that bowls off this morning. That’s their business!

Regardless, the minds of the coach Francis Otieno’s players are as relaxed as those on holiday. At the flag-off ceremony on Monday, the players could afford to take endless selfies with smiles hardly fading.

Perhaps, it is more understandable considering this is the side’s first trip outside Africa after tours to Kenya, Zimbabwe and South Africa.

“We have prepared well and are going to enjoy our moment,” skipper Barbara Mukankusi said after receiving the national flag from National Council of Sports (NCS) General Secretary David Katende.
But while the mood in camp hasn’t dampened, there is work to do with the bat and ball. Coach Otieno will hope his three-month work with the ladies pays off immediately as they take on Oman at the Sharjah Stadium this afternoon.

“We believe we have polished ourselves for good job,” the Kenyan said. Otieno retained 11 of the 14 faces that travelled to Harare eight months ago for the ICC Africa Ladies T20 Cup. However, he would like to blend the experience of players like Mukankusi, Franklyn Najjumba, Naome Kayondo, Gloria Adubu, Consy Aweko and new blood such debutant Lelia Namaganda and Joyce Mary Apio in the side.

“We want to mix that well as we seek positive results.” Otieno added. This is perhaps the biggest stage for Otieno to prepare the side ahead of the 2018 ICC Africa Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifiers next year.

UAE INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S TWENTY20 CUP

TODAY’S FIXTURES
9:30am: Kenya vs. Malaysia, Sharjah
9:30am: Malaysia vs. UAE, Ajman
2pm: Uganda vs. Oman, Sharjah
TOMORROW
9:30am: Kuwait vs. Oman, Sharjah
9:30am: Qatar vs. Malaysia, Ajman
2pm: Kenya vs. UAE, Sharjah