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Cricket Cranes told to savour World Cup opportunity
Cricket Cranes captain Brian Masaba (L) and left-hander opening batsman Simon Ssesazi (R)receive World Cup jersey from Sports Minister for Sports Hon Peter Ogwang at Mestil Hotel in Kampala on Saturday night. PHOTOS/JOHN BATANUDDE
What you need to know:
The players clad in white with a few invited guests close to the game and journalists that have closely covered their journey eased off the tensions and interacted before a sumptuous dinner to send them off to Guyana.
Sponsors Lyca Mobile have done everything possible to send the Cricket Cranes off to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in West Indies and USA in high spirits.
The team is yet to get into a residential camp but moments around each other have been full of the tension that you would expect from an underdog preparing for a World Cup; serious training, information flows and probably a struggle to hide the nerves.
That is why the chance to let their hair down in a serene atmosphere at Mestil Hotel, Nsambya on Saturday evening was quite the plan.
The players clad in white with a few invited guests close to the game and journalists that have closely covered their journey eased off the tensions and interacted before a sumptuous dinner to send them off to Guyana.
“We are happy to be sent off in good spirits and to know that so many people are behind us and the game,” captain Brian Masaba, said.
“We see the support from Lyca in a bigger perspective because it offers opportunities for the sport to grow even in terms of infrastructure.
“The trip (to Sri Lanka) was also something we needed to show that we can play such games,” he added.
The minister (in yellow) with the UCA board members, sponsors and partners.
Government support
The State Minister for Sports Peter Ogwang was also quite in a jolly mood that was further helped by the team offering him their jersey as a souvenir and the banter that engulfed the room when journalists who turned up a little late on the evening having been trapped at a football game in Lugogo, where SC Villa had just ended their 20 year-long wait for the Uganda Premier League title.
“I want to repeat for these journalists that the government is committed to supporting cricket, not just for the World Cup but the game in general,” Ogwang, a self-confessed KCCA fan, said. He also lightheartedly found a way to use the football happenings to inspire the World Cup-bound team.
“See, for us, certified hustlers are Kasasiro Boys (KCCA fans’ moniker). What else can we be?
“I was born in an IDP (internally displaced peoples’) camp in Soroti and I know that many of you were born in Naguru (Kampala slum).
“You are going to the Word Cup as underdogs and maybe you have nothing to lose but to show your talents, so go and prove yourselves. All we ask of you is to be disciplined, work hard, believe in God, be respectful and the rest will fall in place,” Ogwang said.
He continued to speak of the government's plans for the game and those were greeted by thunderous applause.
“We have secured land to make a home of cricket in Kyambogo but we also want to ask the Association to come to a round-table discussion on what we can do for the players, in terms of getting them employment after they retire from the game. We need to make the players useful.
“We are also increasing the budget (for the sport) from Shs1.2b to Shs3b (in the next financial year 2024/25),” Ogwang added.
UGANDA’S GROUP C FIXTURES
TUE, JUNE 4 - 3:30AM:
Uganda vs. Afghanistan, Providence Stadium, Guyana
THUR, JUNE 6 - 2:30AM:
Uganda vs. Papua New Guinea, Providence Stadium, Guyana
SUN, JUNE 9 - 3:30AM:
Uganda vs. West Indies, Providence Stadium, Guyana
SAT, JUNE 15 - 3:30AM:
Uganda vs. New Zealand, Brian Lara Stadium, Trinidad & Tobago
Note: Fixtures schedule is in East African Time (EAT)
