Unlike the past three years, the shape Patidar Samaj Cricket Club is ‘desolate’ as the Multiple Industries Division One 50-Over League that bowls off this Sunday.
The 2010 and 2011 winners start their campaign against SKLPS at Lugogo Oval but are without key brothers Lawrence Ssematimba and Roger Mukasa as well as Charles Waiswa. They all departed for newly promoted side Tornado B at the start of this season.
“We have to cope up with the situation at hand,” new skipper Ankit Patel said. “Its a tough challenge for us.”
Just at the start of last season, Patidar were defending champions but finished third, 15 points adrift eventual winners Tornado had it not been the trio’s effort.
Mukasa scored 327 runs and picked 20 wickets, Ssematimba got 286 runs and Waiswa emerged second best bowler with 29 wickets.
Evidently, their absence was much felt as Patidar failed to reach the last eight of the just concluded National Twenty20 League.
“We have to work hard and fill the gaps left,” newly acquired batsman from Wanderers Abdallah Lubega said. Lubega harbours the team’s hopes on the willows.
He scored 202 runs (16 fours and two sixes) in five innings as Patidar only won half of their games to finish fifth in Group A.
In another game, Nile, who settled for fourth last year, will look to have bigger ambitions when they play Rounders at Jinja SS Oval.
“We’ll play focusing closer to the summit,” captain Martin Ondeko said. Nile started well, showed some brilliance but suffered a five-wicket loss to Challengers in the T20 League quarterfinal two weeks ago.
In Division II, Kutchi Tigers would be satisfied with a quarterfinal finish in the Twenty20’s and that will be a boost they play two T20’s against Premier and KICC at Budo grounds.
Warriors play Challengers before playing SVPC at the university Oval in Kyambogo.
MULTIPLE INDUSTRIES CRICKET LEAGUE
DIVISION I (50-OVERS)
At Lugogo
SKLPS vs. Patidar Samaj
At Jinja
Nile vs. Rounders
DIVISION II (T20’S)
At Kyambogo
Warriors vs. Challengers (Morning)
SVPC vs. Warriors (Afternoon)
At Budo
Premier vs. Kutchi Tigers (Morning)
KICC vs. Kutchi Tigers (Afternoon)