Prime
Afridi remains unstoppable as bowlers run riot in league
Nile tail-ender Ivan Kakande is bowled neck and crop by KICC leg-spinning wizard Irfan Afridi (L) as he tried to muscle a big one to the leg-side in vain at Kyambogo Oval on Sunday. Abdallah Ssezooba (78) is the wicket-keeper. PHOTO BY EDDIE CHICCO
What you need to know:
Cricket. KICC beat Nile by eight wickets, condemning the 2015 runners-up to their first defeat of the season at the University Oval in Kyambogo
KAMPALA.
Bowlers outclassed batsmen in all three National Men’s Division One 50-Over League contests played at the weekend.
That rare moment yielded relatively low scores but Kampala Institute of Cricket Clubs (KICC), Challengers and holders Tornado Bee certainly got home on Sunday.
KICC beat Nile by eight wickets, condemning the 2015 runners-up to their first defeat of the season at the University Oval in Kyambogo.
“Winning keeps us firm in the title race,” KICC skipper Hanumant Katkar said after his side moved to third place with 18 points after three victories from four outings.
After Katkar’s opposite David Musoke opted to bat first, Irfan Afridi’s purple patch with the ball flawlessly continued. The Pakistan-born right-arm spinner kept top of the charts after picking 4/48 to take his wicket tally to 18. His eight-over spell and Kenyan import Abdul Rehman (4/34) blew away Nile’s top-order for 27-3 in the first 52 balls. And though Simon Ayella resisted with 22 off 11, KICC’s Frank Nsubuga (2/19) ensured Nile only set 103 in 25.1 overs. “We did not bat to our standards,” Musoke admitted.
“Our bowling has been clinical and we only want to change that for the better,” Katkar added.
Rehman was trapped early in the chase but Nsubuga’s five boundaries and four maximums in an 18-ball 49* got KICC over the rope after 17.2 overs. At Entebbe, Tornado pair Sadam Oyaga (20 off 46) and Arsalan Pirzada (17 off 44) built well in a 50-run second wicket combo only for Challengers’ Nasir Ahmad (5/24) and Fahad Sadiq (4/23) to do the unthinkable.
Chasing only a paltry 122 runs, Challengers’ openers Hamu Kayondo (45* off 36) and Mohammed Aneef (60* off 54) found no trouble to their fourth win in five games. Tornado Bee also recorded their fourth victory in five outings with a 23-run win over Wanderers amid some pain. They were hard-pressed at 26-4 only for Roger Mukasa’s stand-out knock of 42 off 45 to guide Tornado Bee to 155 after 37 overs.
Defending the score against win-less Wanderers proved tedious when Walaza Zulu (60* off 130) and Dennis Musali (20 off 66) held firm for the sixth wicket. It was not until Mukasa (5/30) bowled and caught the latter midway the 41st over that Wanderers crumbled like a pack of cards in the next 37 balls.
“We still have a bit of homework to do but the team is still showing determination,” Tornado Bee skipper Jeremy Kibuukamusoke said.
Selected results
Tornado Bee 155/10 Wanderers 132/10
(Tornado Bee won by 23 runs)
Nile 103/10 KICC 107/2
(KICC won by 8 wickets)
Tornado 121/10 Challengers 125/0
(Challengers won by 10 wickets)
DIVISION TWO
Aziz Damani 373/10 SKLPS 189/10
(Aziz Damani won by 189 runs)
Premier 265/9 Jinja SS 145/10
(Premier won by 120 runs)
