Cricket Cranes suffer loss in Africa T20 Cup opener

The senior national men’s coach Jackson Ogwang believes the shock opening two-run loss to Rwanda was a brutal check at the Africa Cricket Association (ACA) Twenty20 Cup finals in Gauteng, South Africa on Monday.

The Cricket Cranes, only a fortnight ago, were celebrating qualification to the 2024 ICC Men’s Twenty20 World Cup in Windhoek, Namibia after stunning Zimbabwe.

But that did not matter yesterday as the title holders failed to chase down a target of 116 runs enroute to their shameful first loss to Rwanda in 18 T20 International meetings.

Skipper Brian Masaba and company departed the Willowmoore Park in Benoni yesterday in sheer agony after they got complacent and barely displayed commitment to their shots on a chilly mid-morning.

“We thought that by qualifying for the World Cup, we would become untouchables and ended up disrespecting mother cricket and it has paid us back,” a visibly disappointed Ogwang said.

“We always have to maintain and play and to standards no matter the opposition. The job is never done in cricket until the last ball. We deserve to lose and maybe, this is a wake-up call.

“But, we have to lose while doing the right things. We did not do anything right today,” without mincing his words, Ogwang added.

Henry Ssenyondo (3/12), Jonathan Ssebanja (2/43) and Kenneth Waiswa (1/15) seemed to lay a firm foundation when they bowled out Rwanda for 115 runs with Zappy Bimenyimana, who came in at 10, top-scoring with 20 runs off 11 balls.

In the chase, it all still got off to an aggressive start with Roger Mukasa (36 off 26) and Simon Sessazi (18 off 23) sharing 45 runs inside the opening six overs before the former was run-out on the next ball after a miscommunication.

A crumbling like a pack of cards then followed when Robinson Obuya, Dinesh Nakrani and Sessazi all departed pretty fast to leave the board reading 59-4 after 10.2 overs.

Kenneth Waiswa (15 off 8) and Alphesh Ramjani (27* off 26) attempted to calm the nerves but they were quickly down to 77-5, the former being run-out in an attempt for a second run on the penultimate ball of the 12th over.

None of the next five batsmen backed up themselves as Rwanda’s Muhammad Nadir (2/19) and Martin Akayezu (3/34), the latter getting Ssebanja and Ssenyondo caught behind by wicket-keeper Didier Ndikubwimana on successive balls as Ramjani helplessly watched on from the non-striker’s end in the final over.

“We had different individuals trying to play for themselves and they put the team plans and calls aside. Credit to Rwanda, they came out fighting but it is something we should have put to bed a long time,” Ogwang ranted.

The Cricket Cranes will take a break today before returning to face Malawi on Wednesday.

ACA AFRICA MEN’S T20 CUP FINALS

RESULT - GROUP A

Rwanda 115/10 Uganda 113/10

(Rwanda won by 2 runs)

TUESDAY FIXTURE - GROUP B

10am: Kenya vs. Sierra Leone

WEDNESDAY FIXTURES

GROUP B

10am: Ghana vs. Kenya

GROUP A

2.30pm: Malawi vs. Uganda

THURSDAY - GROUP A

10am: Malawi vs. Mozambique

FRIDAY FIXTURES

GROUP B

10am: Botswana vs. Sierra Leone

GROUP A

2.30pm: Mozambique vs. Uganda