Mahatlane welcomes teens’ freshness

Laurence Mahatlane is never shy to offer young cricketers a chance at the top. It is something that has vindicated him for the greater part of his coaching career.

And the South African already has the model embedded into the senior national men’s team. Exciting teenager Juma Miyagi is already taking on the opening bowler for the Cricket Cranes as evidenced at the last two rounds of the ICC World Cup Challenge League (WCCL) B rounds.

Early this week, Mahatlane and team manager Jackson Kavuma announced a training squad ahead of the ICC Africa Twenty20 Cup comprising of three youngsters from the recent ICC U19 World Cup.

Miyagi is now joined by his U19 skipper Pascal Murungi, budding batsman Joseph Baguma and then Ismail Munir in the 18-man unit preparing for a trip to South Africa next week.

“It’s important to know and understand our depth and if players can handle international pressure,” Mahatlane said after Tuesday’s two trial T20 games in Lugogo.

“The main aim is to give them experience around the national team,” he said. Miyagi is 19, Murungi is 18, and Baguma just turned 17 last month while Munir will turn 17 on New Year’s Eve.

The quartet is mingling with a squad that has 42-year-old Frank Nsubuga, arguably the best spinner in Associate Cricket.

“No one really knows when the right time is. Frank Nsubuga got picked at 16. These two youngsters were outstanding at the World Cup,” said Mahatlane.

“They bring energy and freshness. I am sure they would want to put their hands up for future selection,” he added.

Skipper Brian Masaba is back in the fray having missed last month’s crunch leg of the WCCL in Jersey due to injury. Then, fringe players like Richard Agamire and Gerald Mubiru have another chance to impress.

CRICKET CRANES TRAINING SQUAD: Brian Masaba (Captain), Frank Nsubuga, Simon Ssesazi, Juma Miyagi, Ronak Patel, Riazat Ali Shah, Dinesh Nakrani, Roger Mukasa, Cosmas Kyewuta, Deus Muhumuza, Henry Ssenyondo, Kenneth Waiswa, Fred Achelam, Joseph Baguma, Pascal Murungi, Ismail Munir, Richard Agamire & Gerald Mubiru

CRICKET CRANES’ WARM-UPS

TEAM TRIAL RESULTS

Uganda A 134/8 Uganda XI 135/9

(Uganda XI won by 1 wicket)

Uganda XI 130/7 Uganda A 118/10

(Uganda XI won by 12 runs)

ICC AFRICA MEN’S T20 CUP

TOURNAMENT NOTEBOOK

Dates: September 16-23

Administrator(s): Africa Cricket Association

Cricket format: Twenty20 International

Tournament format(s): Group stage, knock-outs

Host(s): Benoni, Gauteng, South Africa

Venue: Willowmoore Park

Participants: 8

Matches: 13

POOLS

Group A: Cameroon, Ghana, Nigeria and Uganda

Group B: Botswana, Kenya, Malawi and Mozambique