Ssenyondo spell, last stand spur Uganda to 3-0 Series Lead

A scorecard that reads 3-0 in favour of the visiting Cricket Cranes should make their partisan followers a happy bunch with less than a week to the start of the International Cricket Council (ICC) Men’s Twenty20 World Cup Africa Qualifier in Windhoek, Namibia.

But those smiles, if any, should quickly fade into grins after some chinks in Uganda’s armour were exposed in their 41-run victory over Takashinga Patriots at the Highfield-based club in Mashonaland East, Harare on Wednesday.

Obuya's innings

Uganda were reduced to 55 for 5 at 11.3 overs and 83 for 7 after 17 after being asked to bat first by the Zimbabwe International and Patriots captain Chamu Chibhabha.

Playing his first game on the six-match Tour of Zimbabwe, top order batsman Robinson Obuya, who also made his debut for Uganda during the Continent Cup T20 Africa in Nairobi this July, was the only Ugandan who had the finesses to counter the Zimbabweans bowling in his 38-ball innings of 40 run that comprised of three boundaries and one six.

17-year-old Newman Nyamhuri, rocked Uganda’s boat with three wickets for 12 runs and Takudzwa Chataira snared two as Uganda’s top order fell like ninepins, one after the other.

Simon Ssesazi (9), Ronak Patel (0), Roger Mukasa (5), Dinesh Nakrani (5) and captain of the day Kenneth Waiswa (2) didn’t hurt the scoreboard and Uganda’s cause was only helped by half-centurion Alpesh Ramjani (51 off 25 ) and towering David Wabwire (14 off 7).

The pair constructed an unbeaten eighth-wicket stand of 42 in three overs to give Uganda’s bowlers a fighting total of 144. The hosts were coasting along nicely with Antum Naqvi (34 off 32) and Baxon Gopito (30 off 29) making the scoreboard operators busy at 75 for 2 in 11.1 overs.

Ssenyondo's spell

But left-arm orthodox spinner Henry Ssenyondo changed the tide of the game to Uganda’s favour by claiming both Naqvi and Gopito in his first over as the hosts went on to lose six wickets for 19.

Ssenyondo claimed the Man of Match gong with impressive figures of 4 for 16 and previously wicket-less Dinesh Nakrani joined the party with 4 for 19 to compliment Jonathan Ssebanja’s earlier spell of 2 for 22 as the hosts collapsed to 103 all out in 18.3 overs.

The fighting spirit and bouncebackability of the Cricket Cranes will have impressed interim coach Jackson Ogwang whose team take a break today and head to the Test-hosting venue Harare Sports Club tomorrow for a date against Zimbabwe National U-25 team.

UGANDA’S TOUR TO ZIMBABWE

Wednesday result

Uganda XI 144/8 Takashinga 103/10

Uganda XI won by 41 runs

Uganda XI lead series 3-0

NEXT FIXTURE

Friday, 7pm

Zimbabwe U-25 Select vs. Uganda XI, Harare SC

PLAYING XI: Kenneth Waiswa (C), Simon Ssesazi (WK), Ronak Patel, Roger Mukasa, Robinson Obuya, Dinesh Nakrani, Frank Nsubuga, Henry Ssenyondo, David Wabwire, Alpesh Ramjani, Jonathan Ssebanja