Cricket stars’ clinic leaves Katwe kids in Kasese elated

Full Flow. Moshin Riyaz (L), who finished with seven wickets in the Uganda Elite League shows the girls of Katwe Primary School in Kasese the elementary bowling skills. PHOTO | JB SSENKUBUGE

The best players of the recently concluded inaugural Uganda Elite League (UEL)endured a seven-hour voyage to Katwe Quran Primary School on December 11 as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activity to introduce the game of cricket among the school going pupils in Kasese District courtesy of businessman and sports fanatic Amos Wekesa’s Uganda Lodges.

With sports tourism remaining aplenty but still untapped in the country, the players were in unison in saying that Uganda truly has undiscovered talents and only support through partners and well-wishers is the only way to go.

At least 100 boys and girls turned up to learn the ABC of cricket for the first time.

The national players, who were acting as coaches, were left bedazzled by skills set exhibited by the children after just their first lesson. 

“These children have raw talent that needs to be harnessed,” said UEL’s Best Player Wasim Butt who scored 212 runs in six matches during the tournament held from October 25-31. 

“Uganda Cricket Association (UCA) have to just look after them. Look at how they were playing after just a one hour of practice. We can get champion cricketers from here.”  

The Elite League winners later cooled off with a 2-hour game drive through Queen Elizabeth National Park and a boat cruise on the state-of-the-art MV Kazinga as part of their reward for turning in extraordinary figures during the elite competition that helped Uganda Cricket Association break the shackles of the post Covid-19 pandemic.