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Soroti City aggression pays off big time
What you need to know:
Curse Reversed. The Soroti Cricket Academy franchise has been playing second fiddle to Aziz Damani since 2018 but their quality rose to the fore with some aggressive style after they changed name this season to bag their first title.
Pioneer exchanged pleasantries with Wanderers in the final fixture of this year’s National Women’s Twenty20 League at the lakeside oval in Entebbe yesterday. But that fixture had no bearing on who this year’s winner would be.
Those honours were claimed by Soroti City after they outclassed Wanderers by 118 runs in their final outing of the campaign in Entebbe on July 1.
This wasn’t just a first title for a team that had all-round quality in their ranks but it was a victory for the archives because the Soroti Cricket Academy franchise had over years of been playing second fiddle to Aziz Damani since their inception in 2018 when they were still known as Soroti Challengers.
Collective effort
“Winning means so much to us,” said captain Janet Mbabazi, who picked up the Player of Match award for her half-ton of 54 against Wanderers.
“It was a collective effort. Everyone had something to put on the table when we stepped on the park to play every weekend. Beating Aziz Damani to the title feels really good because it something we have always wanted to achieve. We have been coming second all the time but this was our time.
She added; “Even if we won most of our games by the slightest of margins, it justifies our teamwork. There was always someone who did something extraordinary on the day. A top catch here, a superb bowling shift there or even a big knock with the bat; we saw it all and celebrated each of our victories.”
Mbabazi gave flowers to Olila, who beat Damani, for setting up the title race nicely and for running them close as they only won by one point after tallying 21 points from 12 games including 10 wins, one loss and one No Result.
Change of focus
But the celebrations must be muted as focus immediately shifts to the National Women’s 40-over League.
“We would like to do the same (winning again) in the 40-over league,” elaborated Mbabazi, who is also the vice-captain of the Victoria Pearls.
“If we play aggressive cricket like we did in the T20s, maybe we can be win. We are motivated and want to carry this momentum to the 40-over event.”
Club patron Felix Musana was equally delighted with the first title and maintained that the club will not hold back as they gun for more silverware.
“The Academy Directors Board’s efforts have not been in vain,” he said.
“The heartbreak of finishing second is no more. The demons have been exorcised. Now we want more and the directors will willingly contribute because it’s quite costly transporting the team from Soroti to Jinja, Kampala and Entebbe plus feeding them on match days.”
Aside Mbabazi (171 runs, 3 wickets & 6 fielding dismissals, vice-captain Phiona Egaru Kulume (258 runs, 8 wkts & 1 catch), Patricia Timong (137 runs, 11 wickets & 11 fielding dismissals) and Kevin Awino (196 runs and 17 fielding dismissals) shouldered responsibility through the T20 season.
CLUB PROFILE
Name: Soroti City CC
Started: 2018 as Soroti Challengers
Owner: Soroti Cricket Academy
Patron: Felix Musana
Manager: Esther Ngabirye
Achievements
- Winning the 2023 UCA Ladies T20 league
- Six players on Victoria Pearls squad & four are graduates of SCA Academy
Funders: Academy Directors
Target: To be the best ladies cricket side in the country
Motto: Play hard or go home
Primary Goal: To give opportunity to Soroti female cricketers to showcase their skills
Full Squad
1. Kevin Awino 2. Timong Patricia 3. Janet Mbabazi (Captain) 4. Sandra Acwao 5. Phiona Kulume
6. Christine Anayo 7. Sarah Akiteng 8. Irene Alumo 9. Evelyn Anyipo 10. Patricia Apolot 11. Sarah Tino
12. Natasha Amenyo 13. Esther Ngabire 14. Claire Mushakamba
TABLE STANDINGS
Team M W L N/R Pts NRR
1. Soroti City 12 10 1 1 21 1.6535
2. Olila CC 12 10 2 0 20 2.1657
3. Aziz Damani 12 8 3 1 17 1.4029
4. Wanderers 10 3 6 1 7 -0.4936
5. Jinja SS 12 3 9 0 6 -0.9426
6. Pioneer 10 3 7 0 6 -2.3612
7. Tornado Bees 12 1 10 1 3 -3.9289