Uganda had to endure another tough day as the side lost its second straight game at this year’s ICC Challenge League B tournament in Uganda.

The Cricket Cranes lost to Hong Kong by six-wickets after a poor battling display at Kyambogo Cricket Oval.

Uganda won the toss and elected to bat first but were 94 all out in 33.2 overs after Simon Ssesazi, Dinesh Kumar Nakrani and Riazat Ali Shah all failing to pick any runs for Uganda.

Hong Kong used 21.5 overs to amass 96/4 to secure an easy victory over the hosts.

Ronak Patel was Uganda’s most outstanding player on the day as he made 35 runs while Nizakat Khan and Adit Gorawara picked 24 and 22 runs respectively for Hong Kong.

With the loss, Uganda dropped to second place on the ICC challenge league B table. Uganda finished the first round with 5 wins in 5 games in Oman.

Cricket Cranes will be looking to hit the ground running in their second game of the ongoing ICC Cricket World Cup Challenge League B tournament.

The Challenge League is a qualification pathway to the 2023 Cricket World Cup in India and the Cricket Cranes had a false start following a 63-run loss to Jersey in the opener on Friday at Lugogo.

Head coach Lawrence Mahatlane wants his side to execute their plans to get back to winning ways when they take on Hong Kong on Monday.

“The biggest thing for us is to make sure that we hit our process. If you look at the Jersey game, we didn’t bat all our overs and we missed our opportunities in the field.

“We could have had few wickets early on which could have put them (Jersey) under pressure. But I thought we did well to come back because at one stage it looked like Jersey were going to score 320 so the boys showed a lot of character in fighting back.

“From the batting front, we got a good start, we were well ahead of the game and just in the middle we didn’t apply ourselves well enough so for me it’s about application and making sure we stick to our processes,” Mahatlane reflected on the game against Jersey during Sunday’s training.

The South African coach added: “It’s one game at a time, we have back-to-back games that is Monday and Tuesday, and hopefully we can pick some momentum and run with it.

“When you are representing 45m people is a privilege to have pressure. What I am looking forward to is us executing our game plan, we watched them (Hong Kong) play, and we know what to do.”

Cricket Cranes captain Brian Masaba feels the team’s execution lacked but he says the team remains hopeful of positive results going ahead.

The Lawrence Mahatlane coached side lost by 62 runs against Jersey at the second round of the CWC Challenge League Group B.

Uganda’s opener Simon Ssesazi scored a half century while Ronak Patel put on 64 runs off 95 balls.

Jersey were intially spurred by Nick Greenwood’s 80 runs off of 93 balls to set a target of 256 for the hosts to chase.

Juma Miyagi had quite a spell, bowling 8 overs for 22 runs, 1 maiden and 1 wicket while Riazat Ali Shah backed up with an economy of 5.50.

Anthony Hawkins-Kay dismissed Uganda opener Emmanuel Hasahya for three in the fourth over, but Ssesazi and Patel put on 80 for the second wicket before Julius Sumerauer bowled Ssesazi.

Uganda lost two more quick wickets before Patel and Fred Achelam had a 45-run fifth wicket stand – but once Blampied claimed their wickets, the hosts’ hopes of victory faltered.

The Jersey spinner took three more scalps to end with figures of 5-18 off five overs as Uganda were bowled out for 193 from 45.2 overs.

“Obviously the standings get a bit tighter now. The room for error has gotten smaller but I do believe we are still sitting on top of the log.

“Once we pick up a couple of wins, it will ease the pressure on us. It is an execution thing. We didn’t execute our plans.

“Tied up somewhere in the middle while we were chasing. I thought 250 was power on this wicket, we had done well to restrict them to that.

“It will be about reflecting, seeing how get back. Come back here on Monday and execute.”

Uganda’s opening batsman Simon Ssesazi feels he will have to play his best to help Cricket Cranes draw closer to achieving ODI status during the World Cup Challenge League B.

Ssesaazi’s opprtunity has come during the Covid-19 lockdown, the same period when South African coach Laurence Mahatlane arrived to replace Kenyan Steve Tikolo.

“Coach Mahatlane helped me out with improving my technique and also helped me play my game freely,” he told Daily Monitor.

“He made sure I hit close to 500 balls a day in the nets and also gave me as many games as possible to gain my confidence and awareness.

“It has given me confidence because the more I hit balls, the more I get to see the ball well and the more I work on my shots and technique.”

During the Cricket Cranes’ tour of Namibia in early April, Simon was the team’s top run scorer in four of the five matches including three half-centuries and he is bound to walk out of the dug out as one of the openers.

“I don’t want to put myself under pressure because of targets but what I can say is I only need to play my best and also pray to God that I keep this form I have until the tournament,” he added.

Uganda’s bowler Kyewuta Cosmas has revealed how important bowling in partnerships will be as the Cricket Cranes face off with a host of countries in the ICC World Cup Challenge League B.

In April last year, Kyewuta was part of the squad that travelled to Windhoek for the Tour of Namibia and debuted for the Cricket Cranes and featured in four matches of the three T20s and two 50-Over duels.

He now returns with the side for the home tournament round expecting to contribute as much to the side as they seek ODI status.

“I got a chance to play with some of the senior players. I feared playing at first, but the senior guys always backed me up talking to me on and off the field,” Kyewuta told Daily Monitor.

“Setting the bowling tone for my team, two wickets in the first 10 overs,” he said. But how challenging is it? “To me it’s easy. We just need to bowl in partnerships,” Kyewuta said.

“The person that I am bowling with creates pressure by bowling many dot balls which help me restrict the batters and if I create pressure, he picks wickets too. Partnership and brotherhood is helpful mainly to the bowlers,” he added.

Uganda bowls off the tournament against Jersey in Lugogo on Friday.

Uganda 213/1 in 20 overs (Kevin Awino 95*, Gloria Abukor 72) beat Germany 46 all out in 18.5 overs (Asmita Kohli 9; Sarah Akiteng 4/3, Consylate Awekonimumgu 3/5) by 167 runs

Kevin Awino and Sarah Akiteng were rulers supreme as they guided Uganda’s national cricket team to their highest total T20 victory in the 2022 Kwibuka Women’s tournament in Kigali.

Kevin scored a personal best 95 runs off 61 balls to cap herself as Uganda’s most run scorer in the last decade.

Germany’s captain Christina Gough won the toss and opted to bowl against Uganda at the IPRC Cricket Oval.

Openers Kevin Gloria Abukor made Gough question her decision as the pair added mammoth 165 runs before Germany could make a breakthrough.

Abukor scored 72 runs off just 51 balls as Uganda went past 200 runs for the first time in this edition of Kwibuka T20.

Chasing this total was an uphill task for Germany and it got even harder with Janet Ronalds and Gough departing inside the powerplay.

None of the German batters amassed double digits as Consylate Aweko and Sarah Akiteng took seven wickets between them while conceding just eight runs.

Uganda bowled Germany out for 46 and won the match by whopping 167 runs.

Cricket Cranes head coach Lawrence Mahatlane says the side has prepared well for the ICC Cricket World Cup Challenge League B tournament.

The tournament that will be played at Lugogo Oval and the University Oval in Kyambogo bowls off on Friday and the South African coach say they have left no stone unturned.

“We have played nearly 120 games at home since my arrival and I believe we now have a grip of how our home conditions behave,” said Mahatlane.

“We are excited to be playing at home after nine months and are looking forward to the home crowd being our 12th man on the field. It is always a privilege to represent more than 40 million people.

“We have prepared well and we will be looking to ensure we execute our game plans one ball at a time. We have in-depth analysis and know what every team will be bringing to the table. The key for us is to ensure we execute our processes. We as a team are going to look at delivering some good cricket.

“Our focus is on one game at a time and on our processes. Last year we had equalled the World Record on number of T20I wins and lost our 12th game by one run to Kenya before we picked it up for another five wins in a row. So, I believe we understand tournament cricket.”

The Cricket Cranes are seated atop the log with 10 points – three more than second-placed Hong Kong – from the first leg held in Oman 2019.

Cricket Cranes Squad: Emmanuel Hasahya, Simon Ssesazi, Ronak Patel, Brian Masaba (captain) Deus Muhumuza (vice-captain), Riazat Ali Shah, Dinesh Nakrani, Fred Achelam, Frank Nsubuga, Juma Miyaji, Cosmas Kyewuta, Henry Ssenyondo, Kenneth Waiswa, and Frank Akankwasa

Team Reserves: Arnold Otwani and Bilal Hassun

Kenya edged Uganda’s Victoria Pearls by three wickets on the second day of Kwibuka tournament in Kigali, Rwanda.

Consy Aweko won the toss and elected to bat first but her team struggled to put runs on board with no significant scorer. Leona Babirye (20), Naomi Kayondo (19), and Rita Musamali (18) were notable contributors to Uganda’s total of 96.

In the defense of the total, the opening bowling act of Evelyn Anyipo (3/13) and Patricia Malemikia (3/13) ran through Kenya’s top order of Queentor Abel, Venasa Ooko, Mary Mwangi, Sarah Wetoto, and Daisy Njoroge.

However, a 56-run partnership between Veronica Abungah (29) and Esther Wachira (23) kept Kenya alive.

And it was Mercyline Ochieng who took on Phiona Kalume in the final over to knock off the required 13 for the win.

Next up for the Victoria Pearls is Tanzania on Saturday.

Match Summary | Uganda W vs. Kenya W

• Uganda 97/8
• Kenya 97/7
• Kenya won by 3 wickets

Uganda got off to a winning start at the eighth edition of the Kwibuka Tournament in Kigali, Rwanda with the Victoria Pearls picking a six-wicket victory against the hosts.

Rwanda won the toss and elected to bat first. However, good bowling from Uganda made run-scoring difficult and the hosts were dismissed for 68 in 19 overs.

The slow bowling of Sarah Akiteng (2/13) and Consy Aweko (2/12) gave away only 25 runs in their 8 overs with Evelyn Anyipo (2/17) coming in handy.

In the chase, Kevin Awino and Leona Babirye fell quickly but a 47-run partnership between Janet Mbabazi (19) and debutant Gloria Obukor (34) made the game safe for Uganda who got to the required total with six overs to spare.

In the other games played, tournament defending champions Kenya defeated Botswana by 35 runs while Nigeria defeated newcomers Brazil by 8 wickets.

In their second game at the tournament, Uganda faces rivals Kenya on Friday morning.

Match Summary

• Rwanda 68 all out
• Uganda 69/4 (14/20 overs)
• Uganda won by 6 wickets

The national ladies Cricket team arrived in Rwanda on Tuesday ahead of their games during the 2022 Kwibuka T20 tournament in Kigali.

The team departed aboard Rwanda Air after they had been flagged off by Assistant General secretary of National Council of Sports Mr. David Katende.

A statement from the Rwanda Cricket Federation revealed their arrival; “The Victoria pearls have arrived Kigali International Airport safely.

“They look excited, @CricketUganda only missed 2021 edition of #KwibukaT20, in their 6 appearances they are 3 times Champions! Welcome in #Kigali.”

The Victoria pearls have arrived Kigali International Airport safely. They look excited, @CricketUganda only missed 2021 edition of #KwibukaT20, in their 6 appearances they are 3 times Champions! Welcome in #Kigali #RwOT @visitrwanda_now @Rwanda_Sports pic.twitter.com/K6VYMLRz3H

— Rwanda Cricket Association (@RwandaCricket) June 7, 2022

This will be the team’s 3rd consecutive tournament after the Capricorn tour in Namibia and Nepal tour in Kathmandu.

The Pearls won the Nepal series 3-2 while they lost all their games in Namibia.