There are obviously more lessons to learn than achievements for team Uganda after a disastrous outing at the ICC Global Twenty20 World Cup Qualifier showpiece in UAE.
The target of earning one of the six available slots at next year’s global event in Bangladesh was far from reality for the East Africans due to mediocre batting due their tough two-week stint in the Middle East.
Failure by top-order batsmen to take control of their innings left Uganda enduring one disappointment after another.
For a moment, head coach Johan Rudolph would have pondered to terminated his seven-month contract as five months of preparation including a South Africa Tour seemed to have had no impact on his charges.
The 52-year-old South African shares similar sentiments of how his batting lynch-pins could not hit the ground in Abu Dhabi. In the long run, Uganda lost five of the seven Group A ties before finishing seventh with just three points on the eight-team log.
When bating character was exhibited, the side registered a one-wicket victory over Italy with Richard Okia adjudged for the man-of-match honour after making 33 off 33. Opener Kyobe had struck five maximums before falling with 35 off 15.
When the batsmen behaved rather than usual again, Uganda signed off with some pride after an 11-run win over Bermuda to seal 13th position.
Hamza Saleh, who looked to have more of the steam struck four boundaries and a six to make 45 runs with 100% strike rate as Uganda set 134 for 7. He not only finished with man-of-match honour but also Uganda’s best batsman with 143 runs in nine innings.
Roger Mukasa also found his first figures of the tourney with 22 off 20 while fellow opener Kyobe made only 2 off 8. Okia made 21 off 12 as the team made a rare competitive total.
Then as early as the 11th ball, Brian Masaba (2/34) had taken an early wicket of Dion Stovell that could have reasserted Bermuda’s mission.
Jonathan Ssebanja took figures of 1/8 that David Hemp’s (53 off 55) wickets as the side safeguarded a second win at the UAE show.
But on return to Kampala this Thursday, Rudolph is bound to make a vast number of changes on the side that will take intense training for January’s ICC World Cup Qualifier slated for New Zealand.
ICC GLOBAL TWENTY20 WORLD CUP QUALIFIER – UAE GROUP A
Team Pld W L NR NRR Pts
Ireland 7 6 0 1 +2.058 13
Hong Kong 7 5 2 0 +0.440 10
UAE 7 5 2 0 +0.269 10
Namibia 7 4 3 0 +0.197 8
Italy 7 2 4 1 +0.457 5
Canada 7 2 5 0 –0.359 4
Uganda 7 1 5 1 –1.494 3
America 7 1 5 1 –1.646 3
UGANDA’S MATCHES
Uganda 88/8 UAE 89/2 (Uganda lost by eight wickets)
Uganda 105/10 Hong Kong 105/6 (Uganda lost by four wickets)
Italy 148/4 Uganda 151/9 (Uganda won by a wicket)
Canada 137/7 Uganda 93/10 (Uganda lost by 44 runs)
Uganda Vs America (Was not played)
Namibia 125/7 Uganda 87/9 (Uganda lost by 38 runs)
13th place play-off – Uganda 134/7 Bermuda 123/4 (Uganda won by 11 runs)