Cricket Cranes make fist of final preps
Crowd Of Three: Bahrain captain Haider Ali (C) was adjudged Player of the Series with Uganda's Cosmas Kyewuta (L) and Robinson Obuya taking the respective gongs of Best Bowler and Best Batsman as Uganda scooped the historic Bahrain Series 2-1 in Jinja. PHOTOS/UCA MEDIA - XAVIER SSEBOWA
What you need to know:
Eleventh Hour. In a series of intense matches, Uganda maximised their last-minute prep games against Bahrain and Italy, securing confidence-boosting wins ahead of the ICC Cricket World Cup Challenge League B tournament, where they aim to capitalize on home advantage.
The Cricket Cranes wrapped up Bahrain's inaugural tour to Uganda with a thrilling 2-1 series win, capturing a hard-fought 50-over finale by just three runs at Jinja SS Oval on October 31.
Uganda’s win, achieved through the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) Method, showcased the depth and resilience of the squad as they adapted to challenging conditions caused by overnight rains, which reduced the match to 30 overs per side.
Skipper Riazat Ali Shah set the tone by winning the toss, and openers Robinson Obuya (47) and Raghav Dhawan forged a steady start, amassing a 79-run partnership in 18.1 overs to help Uganda set a competitive total of 162/6.
Missing key bowlers Juma Miyaji and Cosmas Kyewuta, the hosts called on Dhawan and Ivan Baidhu—making sort of his senior debut—to lead the attack. Together, they stepped up to contain Bahrain’s lineup, with the duo of Brian Masaba and Alpesh Ramjani taking two wickets each to derail Bahrain's chase.
Just as Bahrain, at 120/5, was closing in on the revised target of 124, bad light halted play, handing Uganda a three-run victory. This close finish capped a series full of drama and laid a strong foundation as Uganda approach the ICC Cricket World Cup Challenge League B.
Italian job
Meanwhile, Uganda’s Select XI engaged in warm-up matches against Italy at the Serenity Oval in Kamengo, splitting results in two closely contested 50-over games.
Italy claimed the first match by 60 runs on October 31, despite valiant efforts from former captain Roger Mukasa, who scored a brisk 48 off 44 balls, and rising U-19 star Gerald Olipa, who anchored the innings with a well-paced 30 off 49 balls.
The second game on November 2 saw Uganda XI bounce back with a narrow 13-run win in a 33-over fixture. Simon Ssesazi (36), Kenneth Waiswa (35), and Cyrus Kakuru (25) led Uganda to a total of 183, while bowlers Bilal Hassun (3/45), Joseph Baguma (2/16), and Mathew Musinguzi (2/35) applied pressure to stymie Italy’s chase.
Despite a spirited last-wicket stand between Damith Kossala (51 off 40) and Abdul Haseeb Khan (25 off 39), Uganda’s bowlers held their nerve, clinching the victory.
These competitive outings have set an encouraging tone as the Cricket Cranes shift focus to the ICC Cricket World Cup Challenge League B, commencing in Uganda this week.
The squad, blending seasoned players and ambitious newcomers, will begin their campaign before an enthusiastic home crowd at Lugogo and Entebbe, aiming to progress in their quest for a spot at the 2027 World Cup slated to be hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia.
BAHRAIN’S TOUR OF UGANDA
Result – October 31 – 50 overs
Uganda 162/6 Bahrain 120/5
New Target: 124 runs in 24 overs
Uganda won by 3 runs (DLS Method)
Uganda clinch series 2-1
ITALY WARM UP MATCHES
Result – October 31 – 50 overs
Italy 251/7 Uganda XI 191/10
Italy won by 60 runs
Result – November 2 – 50 overs
Uganda XI 183/8 Italy 170/10
Uganda won by 13 runs
BAHRAIN SERIES - INDIVIDUAL AWARDS
Player of the Series
Haider Ali (178 points) - Bahrain – 67 runs & 3 wickets
Best Batsman
Robinson Obuya – Uganda - 97 runs from 3 matches
Best Bowler
Cosmas Kyewuta – Uganda - 4 wickets for 25 runs in 2 matches
