Nakisuyi relieves Victoria Pearls, for now

The senior national women’s cricket team coaches Lawrence Ssematimba and Deus Muhumuza are still scratching their heads over challenges in the top-order batting.

If there weren’t serious issues to do with opener Proscovia Alako’s terrible form and collective damaging scores after the opening batting power play, may be one of the top two slots sought after at the ongoing ICC Women’s Twenty20 Global Qualifier in Abu Dhabi, UAE, would still be clear in sight.

And truthfully, Ssematimba and Muhumuza will need to think again how best to approach those concerns plus tidy fielding under the lights when they face Thailand in a must-win encounter at the Tolerance Oval this evening.

Truthfully, the opening 109-run defeat to Scotland on Thursday and even Saturday’s recovery eight-wicket triumph over the USA exposed those areas.

Slow start 

“Our fielding display was bad (against Scotland). And that is something that we worked on. We had a very slow start (against USA),” said skipper Janet Mbabazi.

In the T20 power play, a maximum of two fielders are allowed outside the 30-yard circle and that's excluding the wicketkeeper and bowler. Ideally, the team batting wants to make the most of this spell.

But after the power play of six overs, the scoreboard read 23-4 in pursuit of a target of 162 runs against Scotland and 13-2 in quest of 111 runs against the Americans at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium.

In both matches, Alako returned ducks and she has only hit double digits twice in her last 10 T20 Internationals stretching back to last June.

Against the Scots at Tolerance, the Victoria Pearls never recovered and thanks to left-arm seamer Rachel Slater’s 5/17 they were bowled out for a paltry 52 runs inside 12.2 overs with Phiona Khulume’s 16-run-a-ball making no impact.

 But it took some respectable hitting from Immaculate Nakisuyi and Stephanie Nampiina to win the encounter against the Americans.

Unbeaten 

Now upgraded to face the new ball, Nakisuyi produced her second career T20I half-century with an unbeaten innings of 68 runs off 64 balls comprising seven boundaries and a six.

She shared a pivotal 102-run third-wicket stand with Nampiina who had an even better strike rate in a knock of 33 runs off 27 balls.

“I am happy to have contributed to the team’s win. As we were batting, they got a few early wickets but we had belief in the rest of the players,” said Nakisuyi after making Uganda’s 12th women’s T20I half-century.

“That (win) gives the team vibe in the camp,” noted Muhumuza. “They now believe they can put up a good fight with any team that comes in their way. It has boosted our morale, given us confidence and hope we shall carry the same energy,” added Mbabazi.

The heavy defeat to the Scots leads Uganda’s Net Run Rate at -2.523 and to contain Thailand, batting first could be a vital option but, Muhumuza and Ssematimba will seriously think of returning either wicket-keeper Kevin Awino or considering Gloria Obukor back to the top-order.

Bench 

Awino and Obukor’s strike rates however are low which dent fast batting starts. It is further likely that Esther Iloku, who came in for Evelyn Anyipo against USA, may return to the bench after making just a couple of runs.

Skipper Mbabazi’s economy is under scrutiny against experienced Thai players like Nannapat Koncharoenkai. The bowling partnerships between Sarah Walaza, Sarah Akiteng and Consy Aweko will be key.

Thailand dropped catches more than thrice within the 30-yard circle and if it were otherwise, Sri Lanka may not have won by 67 runs in their group opener on Thursday.

2024 ICC WOMEN’S T20 WORLD CUP QUALIFIER

Monday fixtures 

Group A at Tolerance Oval 

2pm: Scotland vs. USA

6:30pm: Thailand vs. Uganda

Group B at Sheikh Zayed stadium 

2pm: Ireland vs. Zimbabwe

6:30pm: UAE vs. Netherlands

Victoria Pearls results 

Scotland 161/3 Uganda 52/10

(Scotland won by 109 runs)

USA 110/5 Uganda 114/2

(Uganda won by 8 wickets)

 GROUP A TABLE STANDINGS

Pos      Team              Pld      W        L         T         NR      Pts       NRR

1          Sri Lanka        2          2          0          0          0          4          3.468

2          Scotland         2          1          1          0          0          2          1.502

3          Uganda          2          1          1          0          0          2          -2.523

4          United States 1          0          1          0          0          0          -0.555

5          Thailand         1          0          1          0          0          0          -3.350