Ssesazi’s hot blade lights up Uganda’s campaign

Simon Ssesazi redefines the phrase ‘a man reborn’. A fast rewind to the 2018 Division IV International Cricket Council (ICC) World Cricket League in Malaysia when the 25-year-old made his ICC List-A debut tells a sad story of how the left-handed opening batsman struggled to hit off the playing square.

Uganda grit their teeth to victory to earn promotion to Division III but Ssesazi meekly ended his torrid campaign with partly return 10 runs from four matches with a highest score of 4 against Denmark. 
Tail between his legs, Ssesazi fell out of favour and justifiably took a sabbatical from the game.

Second chance
Sport gives a second chance and the arrival of South African Laurence Mahatlane as Cricket Cranes coach offered a window of hope to the wide-eyed Ssesazi.
“In my book, no one is closed out. Everyone is welcome to practice,” said the 45-year-old gaffer on arrival to Uganda in November last year.
Having been given a provisional squad of 25 players, Mahatlane’s statement saw no less than 40 turn up at Lugogo for his first training sessions.
Among that full pack was Ssesazi, who had been urged to turn up by his elder brother Henry Ssenyondo – a left arm spinner and mainstay in the side.

Previously a show-boater and big talker, no one knew which Ssesazi would turn up. But a little older and certainly wiser player is what coach Mahatlane got.
Ssesazi was actually one of the 12 players that got central contracts having previously not been considered for the squad late last year.

Good space
Like many players, Mahatlane took to Ssesazi’s liking like fish to water and that cordial relationship has turned out to be a godsend for Uganda who have won two series, picking up three Man of Match awards, three back-to-back half centuries and over 1,300 runs since the National Trials bowled last November.
The exciting Ssesazi was once again at it as Uganda made easy work of 59th ranked Malawi in a commanding 10-wicket triumph as the Cricket Cranes started their campaign at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Sub Regional Africa Group A Qualifier in Kigali yesterday.

Ssesazi stroked 10 boundaries in his unbeaten knock of 62 runs off 39 balls and had his senior partner Saud Islam play second fiddle with 31* off 27 balls as Uganda dominated to reach their target (101) with 54 balls remaining.
What you see is a result of hard work,” in a much calmer tone, said Ssesazi, whose other elder brother Ronald Ssemanda, too, played for Uganda for 10 years.
“I cried so much in my room every night in Malaysia and hid away from my teammates. I felt I was letting down the team,” Ssesazi said. 

“I am grateful to God for this comeback. This is not going to be the first and last of me performing well. I want to give joy to Ugandans.”
Mahatlane will hope that it is not only Ssesazi reborn but Uganda as a whole since there is only one spot at stake from the seven-nation Group A to the Africa Finals slated for next month in the journey to the 2022 World Cup in Australia. 

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