Cricket Cranes search for early recovery

There were some positives and yet the sad undertones buried Team Uganda during their first-ever Twenty20 International cricket match against Bahrain on Monday.

The hosts Jinja Secondary School's students left for dinner and evening preps without getting a carbon copy of stellar batting from the Cricket Cranes who collapsed from 62-3 to 77-8 in a space of 17 balls thereby losing to Bahrain by 17 runs.

In the end, a familiar batting wobble was glaring right in the face of coach Abhay Sharma, new skipper Riazat Ali Shah and company ahead of a second T20 tie on Tuesday. 

Both countries are gearing up for the International Cricket Council (ICC) Cricket World Cup Challenge League (CWCCL) B, scheduled for November 4-16 at Lugogo and Entebbe Oval.

“There are positives but it was a tough one,” admitted Uganda’s opening bowler Juma Miyagi. The match was reduced to 11 overs due to a wet outfield and when Shah asked his opposite Haider Ali to bat first; little did Miyagi know what was coming.

The fast bowler managed six dots but shipped an average 10.5 runs per over in a two-over spell as Bahrain’s opening batsmen Umer Imtiaz (18 runs off 15 balls) and Asif Ali (31 off 18) shared 33 runs in the opening 21 balls.

That seemed to set the tone as Imran Javed Anwer added 26 off 18 before Dinesh Nakrani (3/20) and spinner Alpesh Ramjani (1/14) brought some control.

However, 11 extras and left-arm orthodox bowler Henry Ssenyondo (0/20) had let off Bahrain to a near-safe total of 97-5.

Uganda’s start to the chase appeared to vindicate the omission of familiar openers Roger Mukasa and Simon Ssesazi. Robinson Obuya (20 off 15) and new comer Raghav Dhawan (27 off 17) displayed some fine chemistry in an opening stand of 42 runs off 4.1 overs.

Then two unlucky wicket dismissals in a space of two overs had both departed before Bahrain ran riot, Haider wreaking havoc with a one-over spell of 3/7 which had Shah, Miyagi and wicket-keeper Fred Achelam gone.

Nakrani was then dismissed on the opening ball of the 10th over, capping a bowling hat-trick and four wickets in five deliveries and Uganda, expectedly never recovered. 

“The coach’s plan was to score about 100 runs. My players bowled well in this crucial game,” remarked Haider.

“The top-order batsmen did what was needed, a good start. It was slightly damp underneath. The batsmen took their chances, calculated the risks and got to a decent score, the bowlers pulled it off,” said Bahrain’s coach Ashish Kapul.

While Bahrain looks to tighten the screws, Sharma and his assistant Jackson Ogwang could rotate the unit in quest for a different result under clear skies in Jinja.

BAHRAIN TOUR TO UGANDA

2ND T20 - TUESDAY

1:30pm - Uganda vs. Bahrain, Jinja SS Oval

FIRST T20 RESULT 

Bahrain 97/5 Uganda 80/8

(Bahrain won by 17 runs)

BAHRAIN TOUR TO UGANDA
Bahrain Batting 
Asif Ali 31 off 18
Imran Javed Anwar 26 off 18
Umer Imitiaz 18 off 15

Uganda Bowling
Dinesh Kumar Nakrani 3 for 20 in 3 overs
Cosmas Kyewuta 1 for 13 in 2 overs
Alpesh Ramjani 1 for 14 in 2 overs

Uganda 80/8 in 11 overs
Raghav Dhawan 27 off 17 balls
Robinson Obuya 20 off 15 balls

Bahrain Bowling
Haider Ali 3 for 7 in 1 over
Ali Dawood 2 for 22 in 3 overs
Imran Javed A.1 for 12 in 2 overs

Bahrain won by 17 runs