Baby Cricket Cranes off for ‘Mission Possible’

Belief is bottomless for Uganda’s U-19 Boys national cricket side – The Baby Cricket Cranes as they embark on what skipper Frank Akankwasa termed as ‘mission possible.

Akankwasa was part of the Team that narrowly missed out qualifying for the global showpiece in 2017 when a technical team’s error in judgement put paid to their chances.

Uganda opted to bat first when bowling first would have been the best option to shut Kenya out of qualification. Instead Uganda batted and got bowled out for a miserly 60 runs. They then looked on helplessly as Kenya chased down their target in 9.2 overs to surpass their Net Run Rate. “We learnt our lessons then,” Akankwasa told SCORE. “We want to make amends. But will not be in a hurry. We have the talent to complete the job but we want to be tactful and also look to execute our roles and coaches’ plans.”

Uganda are not novices in the World Cup with the 2004 side captained by Clive Kyangungu and the 2006 one led by Hamza Almuzahim Saleh having broken the duck in Dhaka, Bangladesh and Colombo, Sri Lanka respectively.

Completing hat-trick
Akankwasa and his teammates now have a chance to complete a hat-trick if their preparations are anything to go by. The captain and his vice Zephaniah Arinaitwe are still fresh from an ICC High Performance Camp in Potchefstroom, South Africa where they spent five weeks harnessing their skills.
The coach Jackson Ogwang took six of his stars to the Sanjay Farm in Chikhli, Surat District – South Gujarat for 21 days where the boys played against some Ranji Trophy stars and were also coached by renowned high calibre Indian coaches.

The best team from the six-nation event will automatically qualify for the World Cup due next year in South Africa. “The teams we are going to play against are seasoned campaigners and we will look to handle them one game at a time,” said coach Ogwang. Uganda start their campaign against Kenya at Windhoek Affies tomorrow.

THE BABY CRICKET CRANES IN WINDHOEK

PEERY WAZOMBE
Nickname: Perry
Local club: Challengers Born: December 12, 2002
Birthplace: Naguru
Jersey: 02
Batting style: Right-hand
Bowling style: Legspin
Highest score: 97 vs. ACC (National League)
Best bowling: 4/16 in 4 vs. Masaka (SCW)
Cricket idol: Virat Kohli of India

ZEPHANIAH ARINAITWE
Nickname: McCullum
Local club: Challengers
Born: Dec 4, 2001
Birthplace: Naguru
Jersey: 32
Batting style: Right-hand
Bowling style: Off spin Also: Wicketkeeper
Senior debut: vs. Qatar (September 2016)
Highest score: 193 vs. Kenya U-19s
Best bowling: 4/28 vs. Zimbabwe Lions
Cricket idol: AB de Villiers of South Africa

TREVOR BUKENYA
Nickname: Trevor King
Local club: Challengers
Born: Dec 25, 2001
Birth place: Naguru
Jersey No: 27
Batting style: Right-hand
Bowling style: Right-arm medium
Highest Score: 76 vs. Premier (Div.11)
Best Bowling: 5/36 vs. Botswana U-19s (U-19 WCQ 2017)
Cricketing idol: Roger Mukasa of Uganda

FRANK AKANKWASA
Nickname: Frank Danger
Local Club: Strikers
Born: Dec 22, 2001
Birth place: Naguru Hospital
Jersey No: 33
Batting style: Right-hand batsman
Highest score: 62 vs. Botswana U-19s
Best bowling: 4/7 vs. Tanzania U-19s
Cricke idol: Glen Maxwell of Australia
Cricketing idol: Glenn Maxwell

ISMAIL MUNIR
Nickname: Hope
Local club: Aziz Damani Development (Div II)
Born: Dec 31, 2005
Birthplace: Naguru
Jersey: 73
Batting style: Right-hand
Bowling style: Off spin
Highest score: 75* vs. Avengers (T20).
Best bowling: 4/11 vs. Jinja (Div. III League)
Cricket idol: Shai Hope of West Indies

EDWIN NUWAGABA
Nickname: Baby
Local club: Aziz Damani Development (Div II)
Born: January 20, 2004
Birthplace: Kabale
Jersey: 23
Batting style: Right-hand
Bowling style: Off spin
Highest score: 40 vs. Avengers (National League)
Best bowling: 4/19 in 4 vs. Jinja SS (Div. III)
Cricket idol: AB de Villiers of South Africa

JUMA MIYAJI
Nickname: Desai
Local club: Ceylon Lions
Born: April 5, 2003
Birthplace: Naguru
Jersey: 57
Batting style: Right-hand
Bowling style: Right-arm medium
Highest score: 49 vs. Kutchi Tigers (National League)
Best bowling: 7 for 15 (vs. S. Generators XI)
Cricket idol: Mitchel Starc of Australia

PASCAL MURUNGI
Nickname: King of Yorkers
Local club: Karago CC (Div III)
Born: June 3, 2004
Birthplace: Buhinga Hospital - (Ibonde)
Jersey: 59
Batting style: Right-hand
Bowling style: Right-arm medium
Highest score: 48 vs. Budo (Div. II)
Best bowling: 8 for 15 in 8 (vs. JACC)
Cricket idol: Ben Stokes of England

RAMATHAN OCHIMI
Nickname: Gweno
Local club: Tornado (Div I)
Born: April 29, 2001
Birthplace: Naguru Hospital
Jersey: 77
Batting style: Right-hand
Also: Wicketkeeper
Highest score: 75 vs. Nile (National League)
Cricket idol: Quinton de Kock of South Africa

ASHRAF SSENKUBUGE
Nickname: Swahaba
Local Club: Tornado
Born: Dec 30, 2001
Birth place: Naguru Hospital
Jersey No: 16
Batting style: Right-hand
Also: Wicketkeeper
Highest score: 33 vs. Ghana U-19s (20017)
Cricketing idol: Hashim Amla of South Africa

JOHN GABULA
Nickname: Kitakula Vice
Local club: KICC
Born: Dec 29, 2001
Birth place: Naguru
Jersey No: 11
Batting style: Right-hand
Bowling style: Right-arm medium
Highest score: 76
Best bowling: 4/32
Cricketing idol: Pat Cummins of Australia

SIMON OKETCHIO
Nickname: Black Boy
Local club: Strikers
Born: Oct 18, 2002
Birth place: Naguru Hospital
Jersey No: 74
Batting style: Right-hand
Bowling style: Slow bowler
Highest score: 64
Best bowling: 5/53
Cricketing idol: Glenn Maxwell of Australia

COSMAS KYEWUTA
Nickname: Cossey
Local club: Patidar Samaj
Born: Dec 28, 2001
Birthplace: Naguru
Jersey: 39
Batting style: Right-hand
Bowling style: Right-arm medium
Highest score: 106 vs. Patidar Samaj ( Div I)
Best bowling: 7/16 vs. Budo (Div. II League)
Cricket idol: Martin Suji of Kenya

RONALD OPIO
Nickname: Opichi Pro
Local club: Patidar Samaj
Born: Dec 17, 2002
Birth place: Naguru
Batting style: Right-hand
Bowling style: Off spin
Jersey No: 89
Highest score: 88 vs. Ceylon Lions (2018)
Best bowling: 5/37 vs. KICC (2018)
Cricketing idol: Jason Roy of England

HEAD COACH: Jackson Ogwang
Oyuku

ASSISTANT COACH: Lawrence Ssematimba

THE OFFICIALS

ROKANI SYLVESTER
Role: Team Manager
HABIBA KULSUM ANGUYO
Role: Team Physiotherapist
ALVIN BAGAYA MBOIJANA
Role: Team Analyst

UGANDA’S TOURNAMENT FIXTURES
March 17 - 10.30am
Kenya vs. Uganda, Windhoek Affies
March 18 - 10.30am
Uganda vs. S. Leone, Wanderers CG
March 20 - 10.30am
Nigeria vs. Uganda, Windhoek Affies
March 21 - 10.30am
Uganda vs. Namibia, United Ground
March 23 - 10.30am
Uganda vs. Tanzania, United Ground