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Historical break for Ceylon Lions as MCC visit for T20s
Charity Patrons. The Cricket For Development Children in Kamengo are all smiles after taking part in a clinic at the beautiful Serenity Oval. The charity initiative will be officially launched today by MCC alongside high caliber dignitaries. PHOTO / INNOCENT NDAWULA.
What you need to know:
Sunday - MCC Uganda 2022
10am: MCC XI vs. CFD XI
2pm: MCC XI vs. Ceylon Lions
Venue: Serenity Oval, Kamengo
Only a couple of months old since hosting its first-ever competitive match between hosts Ceylon Lions and reigning champions Aziz Damani in April, the Serenity Park in Kamengo – Mpigi District continues to be the home and darling of many touring and international teams to Uganda.
Bermuda, Jersey and Kenya used the budding facility with immense potential for their warm-up friendlies as they prepared for the International Cricket Council (ICC) Cricket World Cup (CWC) Challenge League B in Kampala last June.
Home for many
And with a dearth of facilities in the country, the high-riding Cricket Cranes have continued to use the oval – which is 50 kilometers from Kampala – as their second home for practice and National Team Trial matches.
Fruits have already been yielded by those that have used the social amenity owned by Serenity Group with Jersey going on to win the Kampala Leg in June and Kenya dominating proceedings in Jersey, United Kingdom in August. Uganda, too, have already benefitted from Serenity Oval’s bouncy tracks by scooping the African T20 Cup in Benoni, South Africa last month.
And now, when Marylebone Cricket Club – the world’s most active cricket club, owner of the home of cricket (Lord’s Cricket Ground in St John’s Wood – London) and Guardian of the Laws of Cricket go visiting to Kamengo on Sunday (October 9) for two T20s, Ceylon Lions captain Ruwan Jayaratne says it’s a second dawn for the club and more importantly the community.
Charity initiative
“We are delighted to have MCC coming to our humble facility,” said Jayaratne – a spin bowler and opening batsman for the club.
“We are going to use the opportunity to launch our charity foundation; Cricket For Development (CFD) with our first beneficiaries getting a chance to bask in the glory with MCC during a tutoring clinic and practice session.”
The CFD initiative has been inaugurated to empower the low-income local community ,especially the younger kids and young adults through structured cricket coaching and English and IT support classes.
The day will have a spice of razzmatazz with a packed terrace of fans and high caliber dignitaries including Sri Lankan High Commissioner to Uganda Velupillai Kananathan and British Deputy High Commissioner Louise Ellis among others.
The Serenity Oval is located next to a manufacturing facility of East Africa Concrete Products Limited which is a subsidiary of Serenity Group.
CEYLON LIONS XI
1. Ruwan Jayaratne 2. Alex Obanda 3. Falak Sher 4. Deus Muhumuza 5. Sulaiman Sharif 6. Robinson Obuya 7. Stephen Wabwose 8. Hasith Dilhara 9. Collins Abong 10. David Wabwire 11. Eddy Agaba 12th man: Ivan Baidu.
