Malaysia halt Cricket Cranes march to Div. II

Arthur Kyobe (R) and Hamu Kayondo celebrate after the former took the winning catch against Nepal. COURTESY PHOTO

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Cricket. Off-spinner Davis Karashani’s five-wicket haul could save Uganda from the agony of defeat.

The form script was torn to shreds. A four-wicket loss to hosts Malaysia in round four of the ICC World Cricket League Division III is not what the doctor had ordered yesterday.
A win would have guaranteed qualification to Division II proper but a horrendous batting display saw Uganda lose their 100 per cent record after the East Africans collapsed in a heap for 106all-out in 39 overs.
The last time Uganda played Malaysia in Toronto 2001, Kenneth Kamyuka (100* off 54), 19 then, and current UCA boss Richard Mwami (21* off 80) combined for a miraculous 124-run 10th wicket stand to help Uganda recover from 99 for 8 enroute to setting up a 64-run victory.
But there was none of that magic from the 2001 ICC Trophy in Canada as the top-order trio of Arthur Kyobe (5 off 32), Roger Mukasa (9 off 12) and Hamu Kayondo (7 off 31) succumbed to medium pacer Derek Duraisingam (3/23) in the opening 14 overs.
Only four batsmen got double figures; Phillemon Mukobe (24 off 34), wicket-keeper Naeem Bardai (11 off 49), Davis Karashani (11 off 28) and skipper Frank Nsubuga’s 19 off 24. Even Lawrence Ssematimba’s tournament bow, in for injured vice-captain Brian Masaba, produced no reprieve as the man nicknamed Small Lion fell for a duck.

Malaysia’s openers were solid in the chase, adding 41 as the team reached 61 for 1 in 10 overs. Former skipper Davis Karashani then did some damage snaring a fiver as the hosts stuttered to 89 for 6. But it wasn’t enough as Anwar Arudin (26 off 33) and Nasir Shafiq (18 off 20)’s earlier contributions helped the Asian side sail home with 174 balls to spare.
The other two games Bermuda versus Singapore and Nepal versus USA were washed out due to heavy rains and both will be replayed on today’s reserve day as per the tournament rules and playing conditions.
The Cricket Cranes’ fate, though, still lies in their hands as they can make certain of a place in the final and progress to the Division II showpiece in Namibia next year by defeating Bermuda tomorrow’s last round-robin match.

ICC WORLD CRICKET LEAGUE DIV III
YESTERDAY’S RESULTS
Uganda 106/10 Malaysia 107/6
(Malaysia won by 4 wickets)
Singapore 266/8 Bermuda 0/0
No result
USA 204(162) Nepal 27/3
No result