Uganda off to a flyer at Africa T20s

KAMPALA. It did not take long for coach Grace Mutyagaba's presence to be felt in Team Uganda's camp at the ICC Africa Women's Twenty20 Championship in Namibia.

Replacing Kenyan tactician Francis Otieno who could not be cleared because of passport issues, Mutyagaba set foot in Windhoek, his magic helping Uganda to an opening 21-run victory over the hosts on Friday.

With Namibia opting to bat first, the Lady Cricket Cranes fashioned a familiar jittery start with the bat at Wanderers Cricket ground.

But all was settled when Gertrude Candiru (40 off 41) and Franklyn Najjumba (22 off 34) settled in at the crease.

Even with veteran Petro Enright's command with the ball where she took 5/18, Uganda would coast to a defendable total of 97-7.

When it got to testing the bowling unit of the Kampala-assembled side, the Namibian opening partnership didn't offer much.

A Van Schoor was caught by Najjumba off Joyce Mary Apio (2/3) for a duck off three balls.

Olila High School's finest Apio completed her three-over spell with a maiden and figures of 2/3, 14 dots in the process.

Adri van der Merwe (16 off 33) and Irene van Zyl (22 off 20) attempted to uplift the spirits for the Namibians but Candiru (3/16) and Najjumba (2/11) had already swung into an unstoppable mojo.