Cricket Cranes exorcise home demons, at last

There are still chinks in Cricket Cranes armour but coach Laurence Mahatlane insists the team is in a good place after the International Cricket Council (ICC) World Cup (CWC) Challenge League B in Kampala.

Those poor batting days glared twice in the tournament as Uganda fell like dominoes; from 91 for 1 in 14 overs to 193 all out in 45.2 overs while chasing their country code 256 runs for victory in the opening against Jersey at Lugogo. 

Captain Brian Masaba and accompany were also bundled out for 94 runs by Hong Kong in a 6-wicket loss at the University Oval in Kyambogo.

Fans pressure

With the fans getting impatient for results, the Cranes found their wings and were once again colouring the fans’ world with three back-to-back victories; 8-wicket win over Bermuda, 7-wicket triumph over Italy and another massive 7-wicket victory over their ‘noisy neighbour’ Kenya in-front of a vociferous crowd – arguably the biggest ever seen at cricket match in Uganda.

The ability to overcome adversity with expectation high is one of the many boxes the team ticked as well as the bouncebackability after the Cricket Cranes failed to do the same in 2017 during the ICC World Cricket League (WCL) Division III, also at home.
“We were under the pump after the first two games as we were seated in a position where the advantage we had gained in the first two tournaments could have dwindled away quickly,” said Mahatlane during SEE TV’s Sports Dish programme.

“But the guys got their acts going and the fans even became more passionate with each passing victory. The amazing crowd against Kenya urged on the team and we had to reward them. These guys stayed on even when we lost the second game and for us to step up our game and play to our standards was the perfect reward.”

From Tikolo to Mahatlane

Mahatlane’s arrival in November 2020 brought a semblance of normalcy in Uganda’s camp – building on the strong pillars constructed by Kenyan legend Steve Tikolo in Oman 2019 when the Cricket Cranes completed a Grand Slam – winning five out of five matches for a 10-point haul.

The batting has continued to improve as evidenced by the last Tour to Namibia where Uganda lost the T20I Series to the highly rated southern Africans 2-1 but crucially shared the spoils in the 50-over Series 1-1.
“It was easy,” Mahatlane said when asked what it took for his batting unit to shed some skin.

“I just asked the boys to play the brand of cricket that they’ve been playing for the last 18 months. Playing at home means there are a lot more people closer to you and offering advice. But all we (technical team) did was ask them to be tighter as a unit.”

Necessary tinkering

Mahatlane wasn’t shy to explain the tinkering at the top order that saw both Emmanuel Hasahya and Arnold Otwani dropped after both openers returned single digit scores in separate matches.

“Their form was wanting. And these games come and go quickly. Masaba as the captain put up his hand and said he will do the openers’ job with Simon (Ssesazi) and for once we got a solid start at the top with the two playing 11 overs and scoring 46 runs. I thought Masaba, too, was unlucky with the way he was dismissed,” he said.

Uganda had not beaten Kenya’s senior team at Lugogo as far as history goes and chasing 220 for just three wickets will still look as a dream for many fans but not for Mahatlane.

“We changed the mindset. All our wins were achieved while chasing scores. Yes, we failed to chase Jersey set score but we had previously chased 280 plus against a better side – Namibia.

Credit also goes to our bowlers who have been doing their job day in, day out. Young Cosmas Kyewuta was all world class against Kenya.”

Preaching consistency

“For me, it is all about consistency, how do we get Kyewuta to bowl up to speeds of 140kph? Young Juma Miyaji can also do the same. We saw such hints of the same during the Namibia Tour,” added the former South Africa U-19 men’s coach.

“This group of players have shown they can bat and more-so play smart cricket. You all saw what Ssesazi did (three half centuries in the tournament). ODI status is not easy but we are literally 12 games away and we will take it one game at a time.”

Uganda harbour ambitions of playing in the ICC World Cup in India next year. The journey to the global showpiece stays in sight for now but it remains long and tedious at least two more qualifying rounds. 

What is realistic is playing ODI cricket and earn that much-acclaimed status after the third round of ICC CWC Challenge League B games in Jersey next month.

What next?

T20 World Cup Qualifier

Focus shifts to the ICC Men’s Twenty20 World Cup Global Qualifier in Zimbabwe where two tickets to the ‘Holy Grail’ are at stake for the eight nations that will be in the mix from July 9-18 in Bulawayo.

ICC WC Challenge League B

UGANDA’S FULL RESULTS
FIRST MATCH – June 17
Jersey 255/6 Uganda 193/10
Jersey won by 62 runs
SECOND MATCH – June 20
Uganda 94/10 Hong Kong 96/4
Hong Kong won by 6 wickets
THIRD MATCH – June 21
Bermuda 95/10 Uganda 99/2
Uganda won by 8 wickets
FOURTH MATCH – June 24
Italy 120/10 Uganda 121/3
Uganda won by 7 wickets
FIFTH MATCH – June 26
Kenya 220/10 Uganda 224/7
Uganda won by 7 wickets

How they performed

9.Simon Ssesazi
Averaged 67 and an innings of 87*against Kenya. 
3.Arnold Otwani
Miserably struggled on replacing Deus Muhumuza.
4.Emmanuel Hasahya
A wild slog against Gareth Berg got even his fan-base asking for his head.
7.Ronak Patel
Demystified that adage that size is deceptive.
7.Brian Masaba
A captain never shy to take on any responsibility. 
6.Dinesh Nakrani
Finished with a half-century against Kenya.
6.Kenneth Waiswa
Showed flashes of brilliance with the bat.
6.Riazat Ali Shah
Excited with his lines and lengths.
5.Frank Akankwasa
Grasped every chance that came his way.
6.Fred Achelam
Gloveman was guilty of a couple of chances.
7.Frank Nsubuga
What a turnaround with the highlight of the tourney against Kenya!
7.Henry Ssenyondo
Turned it on in style after the Jersey loss. 
8.Cosmas Kyewuta
Lively pace that beat most batsmen.
6.Juma Miyaji: Showed no stage fright.
7.Coach Laurence Mahatlane
Inspired team to bowl over more fans with each passing game.

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