Both team Uganda sides (under-15 and under-19’s) were due to play the finals of their respective categories at the ICC Global Cricket Academy tournament against hosts Kenya at Nairobi Club Oval on Tuesday.
And after the two East African twenty20 derbies in cold conditions, they would probably return to Kampala appeased with second place finishes. But it was a different story for Tanzania’s U-19 team.
Their journey back to Dar es Salaam, after three losses in as many games, would blatantly raise eye brows among the onlookers but rather, the team ended up united after such a bruising phase.
“There are lessons to learn after such a tough tournament,” Tanzania coach Khalil Rehemtullah told Kawowo Sports after his side fell to Uganda by 44 runs at Nairobi Jafferys Oval on Monday afternoon.
“These players are still young and i promise you they will be good in two years time. We’ll return to Dar es Salaam and work on the few things especially the batting.” the senior team player added.
Rehemtullah is not far from the truth in regard to his team’s efforts on the willows. They failed to set big scores when it mattered and failed to chase Uganda’s 114-7 score.
Uganda’s openers Irishad Suleiman (16 off 23) and Arnold Otwan (29 off 34) put up a 37-run stand in the opening seven overs before the former was bowled by Arshaan Jasani (1/17).
Dhaval Patel (14 off 19), captain Farouk Ochimi (15 off 13) and a quick 15* off 9 from Joseph Oyet helped Uganda finish on a defendable score despite Bobby Karwal’s 2/19.
Karwal returned with 15 off 19, a best innings score as Oyet (2/10), Otwan (2/11), Varinder Singh (1/5), Richard Odong (1/8), Ivan Baidhu (1/14) and Mohammed Akmal (1/22) all looked less troubled by the weak batting side.
ICC AFRICA GLOBAL CRICKET ACADEMY – NAIROBI
MONDAY RESULTS
U-19
Uganda 114/7 Tanzania 70/10
Kenya 132/7 ICC GCA UAE 94/6
U-15
Uganda 96/4 ICC GCA UAE 38/10
Uganda 87/6 Kenya 83/10