Uganda keen on finding purity at Victoria Tri-Series

KAMPALA- Uganda’s cricket stage is going to be a busy hub all year as the national teams already have no breaks while the development programs won’t give budding talent any breathing space too.

Now the senior national women’s team - the Lady Cricket Cranes - are in a hurry to hit perfection before they fly out to the ICC Africa Women’s World Cup Qualifier due May 8-13 in Zimbabwe.

And with nearly a month to go, coaches Michael Ndiko and Habibu Mugalula have cut the 40-man squad to only a team of 18 which will be tested at the Victoria Tri-Series beginning today.

Uganda is hosting Kenya and Zimbabwe teams until April 11 and the three nations will compete in a round-robin format at a Series that has been calibrated in the shorter T20 code. The hosts hope they can raise the mojo and rise in different departments against Kenya this afternoon at Lugogo using a format where Uganda earned a ranking by International Cricket Council (ICC) for the first time last year.

The Lady Cricket Cranes also won Africa Women’s T20 Championship in 2017, the Zimbabwe Women’s Challenge and Tanzania Bilateral Series in the recent outings but there is work to do before May. “We need to put in a good shift and also want to use the opportunity to study, learn and come up with a proper understanding of what we need to do with the ladies that will make the cut for the qualification leg,” coach Mugalula stated.

Mugalula has been handling part of the squad in Jinja while Ndiko had handled the rest of the crop in Kampala.

Candiru to be missed
“This Tri-Series comes a bit late maybe but it’s one I welcome. Our challenge is to blend the two groups and identify individuals who we fill the places left by the girls who are no longer with us after the T20 Global Qualifier,” Mugalula stated.

“We are generally a fielding and bowling side though Gertrude Candiru’s contributions will be missed,” he added.

Chandiru, an MVP as Uganda conquered the Africa T20 Cup in 2017, is currently working in the Middle East but ‘old guards’ Barbara Mukankusi and Naomi Kayondo are back in the frame to strengthen batting which remains Uganda’s Achilles heel.

“Before we leave for Zimbabwe, we shall need to work more on the problem areas of batting after making a good assessment of what we need here,” Mugalula stated.

Kenya coach Lameck Onyango has some stars such as Queentor Abel, Margaret Banja, Sarah Bhakita and Daisy Wairimu who are regulars in Uganda’s local competitions.

CRICKET - VICTORIA TRI SERIES
TODAY’S FIXTURES - AT LUGOGO
10am: Kenya vs. Zimbabwe
2:30pm: Uganda vs. Kenya

Players: Rita Musamali, Janet Mbabazi, Rachael Ntono, Immaculate Nakisuyi, Joyce Mary Apio, Stephannie Nampiina, Franklyn Najjumba, Kevin Awino, Consy Aweko, Patricia Malemikia, Esther Ilukor, Damalie Busingye, Evelyn Anyipo, Leona Babirye, Maria Kagoya, Barbara Mukankusi, Sarah Walaza, Naomi Kayondo
Coaches: Habibu Mugalula, Michael Ndiko

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