Victoria Pearls aim to avoid Wildcats’ harm

The contrast in the two warm-up results against Vanuatu and hosts UAE simply tells how long a journey Team Uganda have got at the ICC Women’s Twenty20 Global Qualifier.

The eight-team championship which offers the finalists two tickets to the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup set to be in Bangladesh come September, bowls off this afternoon in Abu Dhabi.

 The senior national women’s team - the Victoria Pearls - clearly showed they are far from ready after they lost their second warm-up match to UAE by nine wickets after setting 69-9 after the allotted overs.

 That result on Tuesday night must have left Pearls’ technical set-up comprising coaches Lawrence Ssematimba, his assistant Deus Muhumuza, strength and conditioning expert Sachin Jagapta and psychologist Edgar Kazibwe pondering.

 “Obviously, the score in the first innings is not what we had planned for,” admitted skipper Janet Mbabazi.

 The first test under the floodlights meant a lot had to go into thoughts on Tuesday ahead of the Group A opener against Scotland at the Tolerance Oval on Thursday.

Uganda is playing a competitive night T20 international for the first time. “We didn’t find a big difference with day cricket,” said Consy Aweko after the UAE match.

To earn a ticket to Bangladesh, Uganda needs an elusive solid start against Scotland, who are ranked four places higher in 14th in the International Cricket Council (ICC) rankings.

“If we get our basics right, we have a chance to beat them. Whoever plays good cricket, will win the match,” said Ssematimba.

Uganda has met Scotland once, losing that encounter by nine wickets after they were bowled out for 43 runs in 15.3 overs before the Scots chased the target inside 41 balls for the loss of one wicket during the 2018 ICC Women's World Twenty20 Qualifier.

Several conversations have been held with openers Proscovia Alako and Kevin Awino on how to navigate the opening power play of six overs. If they manage them well, even collecting 30 runs, then they can have extra room to engage higher gears under minimal pressure thereafter.

That certainly, will reduce pressure Mbabazi at three, and the next trio of Immaculate Nakisuyi, Rita Musamali and Stephanie Nampiina. 

With the ball, the lines in Evelyn Anyipo's pace must definitely be tidy. However, Mbabazi has an economy of 3.35 and 15 wickets in her last nine matches while former skipper Aweko has picked 14 scalps at an economy of 4.42 in the previous 10 outings.

Meanwhile, Scotland’s Wildcats are playing a fifth straight World Cup Qualifier and boast experience in skipper Kathryn Bryce who has averaged 27.5 runs in the last nine matches while carrying a bowling economy of 5.05 and 11 wickets in the recent eight matches.

 Kathryn’s youngster Sarah has even a better batting average; at 38.36 and 272 runs overall in her last nine T20Is.

2024 ICC WOMEN’S T20 WORLD CUP QUALIFIER

TOURNAMENT FIXTURES - THURSDAY

GROUP A AT TOLERANCE OVAL

2pm: Sri Lanka vs. Thailand

6:30pm: Uganda vs. Scotland

GROUP B AT SHEIKH ZAYED CRICKET STADIUM

2pm: Ireland vs. UAE

6:30pm: Zimbabwe vs. Vanuatu

HEAD-TO-HEAD MEETINGS

UGANDA VS. SCOTLAND

2018 ICC WOMEN’S WORLD T20 QUALIFIER

Jul 7, 2018: Uganda 43/10 Scotland 47/1

(Scotland won by 9 wickets)

 UGANDA’S WARM-UP MATCHES - RESULTS

Uganda 69/9 UAE 71/1

(UAE won by 9 wickets)

Uganda 119/6 Vanuatu 84/4

(Uganda won by 35 runs)

TEAM UGANDA’S GROUP A FIXTURES

Apr 25 (Night): Uganda vs. Scotland (Tolerance Oval)

Apr 27 (Day): Uganda vs. USA (ZCS)

Apr 29 (Night): Uganda vs. Thailand (Tolerance)

May 1 (Day): Uganda vs. Sri Lanka (ZCS)

 TEAM UGANDA PROBABLE STARTING XI: Proscovia Alako, Kevin Awino, Janet Mbabazi, Immaculate Nakisuyi, Rita Musamali, Stephanie Nampiina, Malissa Ariokot, Consy Aweko, Lorna Anyait, Sarah Akiteng, Evelyn Anyipo

12th Player: Esther Iloku, Subs: Phionah Khulume, Gloria Obukor, Sarah Walaza