New contract system motivates Victoria Pearls

Victoria Pearls will be smiling as they sweat some more. PHOTO/COURTSEY 

What you need to know:

The senior national women’s team - the Victoria Pearls - will now operate on a two-tier contract system ranked as categories A and B and they will be reviewed every four months.

Uganda Cricket Association (UCA) has prioritized the men’s side of the game since its inception over the last two and a half decades.

UCA introduced contracts for the senior national men's team to try close out the gaps in the amateur structure which the sport has here.

And on Wednesday, in arguably the best local sports announcement on the International Women’s Day, UCA announced a new contract system for the ladies’ front.

“I believe just like we did with the men a couple of years ago, we believe the time is right for our ladies to also start being semi-professional,” announced head coach Laurence Mahatlane.

Mahatlane is the Cricket Cranes’ head coach and he is the lead in the UCA high performance plans.

The 12 contracts come at a time the Victoria Pearls seek to improve their global Twenty20 International ranking from 21st place via a busy year.

UCA plans to have some Series’ competitions for the Pearls at home, the annual Kwibuka T20 Peace Cup in Rwanda, and more importantly the ICC T20 World Cup Qualifiers in South Africa this year.

“We are hoping to see major improvements to our ladies’ squad as they will now be training regularly,” added Mahatlane.

The senior national women’s team - the Victoria Pearls - will now operate on a two-tier contract system ranked as categories A and B and they will be reviewed every four months.

There are seven players in category A including skipper Consy Aweko, wicket-keeper Kevin Awino, Immaculate Nakisuyi and all-rounder Janet Mbabazi.

Mbabazi was the tournament MVP during the victorious Tour of Nepal in Kathmandu in May and also the best bowler at the Capricorn T20 Series in Windhoek, Namibia in April.

Category B has five players including Phiona Kulume, Patricia Malemikia and Stephanie Nampiina. The performance parameters will determine who goes up or down the ranks.

“It’s important in a way that I will be able to plan properly while expecting a steady flow of income,” right-hand batter Nampiina remarked.

“It only motivates me to work harder to impress our sponsors so that they increase our reward,” she added.

UCA - VICTORIA PEARLS CONTRACT STRUCTURE

Category A: Consy Aweko, Kevin Awino, Janet Mbabazi, Evelyn Anyipo, Immaculate Nakisuyi, Rita Musamali, Sarah Akiteng.

Category B: Stephanie Nampiina, Irene Alumo, Phiona Khulume, Patricia Malemikia, Gloria Obukor.

VICTORIA PEARLS IN 2022

CAPRICORN T20 TRI SERIES

Namibia 90/9 Uganda 78/8

(Namibia won by 12 runs)

Zimbabwe 100/4 Uganda 92/8

(Zimbabwe won by 8 runs)

Zimbabwe 127/5 Uganda 105/6

(Zimbabwe won by 22 runs)

Namibia 68/10 Uganda 40/10

(Namibia won by 28 runs)

Zimbabwe 86/10 Uganda 75/7

(Zimbabwe won by 11 runs)

Uganda 93/3 Namibia 99/5

(Namibia won by 5 wickets)

TOUR OF NEPAL

Nepal 123/6 Uganda 90/6

(Nepal won by 33 runs)

Nepal 97/10 Uganda 82/8

(Nepal won by 15 runs)

Nepal 99/8 Uganda 101/4

(Uganda won by 6 wickets)

Nepal 101/7 Uganda 102/9

(Uganda won by 1 wicket)

Uganda 102/5 Nepal 90/9

(Uganda won by 12 runs)

KENYA QUADRANGULAR WOMEN’S T20 SERIES

Kenya 54/3 Uganda 58/2

(Uganda won by 8 wickets)

Qatar 54/10 Uganda 55/3

(Uganda won by 7 wickets)

Tanzania 73/10 Uganda 74/4

(Uganda won by 6 wickets)

Tanzania 116/8 Uganda 102/8

(Tanzania won by 14 runs)

Kenya 107/4 Uganda 112/4

(Uganda won by 6 wickets)

Qatar 85/6 Uganda 86/3

(Uganda won by 7 wickets)

Kenya 80/10 Uganda 81/4

(Uganda won by 6 wickets)