The Cricket Cranes were today flagged off by the Assistant General Secretary of NCS David Katende ahead of their debut appearance at the Africa T20 Cup.
A squad of 16 players will take part in an extended tour down south as the Cricket Cranes use the Africa T20 Cup as a build up for the important Division 3 World Cricket League (WCL) qualifiers due in November.
Only 13 players will take part in the Africa T20 Cup with the other three players taking part in the extended tour which will feature atleast four 50 over games against select South Africa sides.
The 13 man squad for the Africa T20 has one new face in youngster Zephaniah Arinaitwe who has been rewarded for his good form for the junior U19 side, the rest of 12 players were part of the team that represented Uganda at the T20 World Cup Africa B Qualifiers in Rwanda.
Left arm spinner Henry Ssenyondo, Simon Ssesazi and Emmanuel Isaneez are the three other players not part of the Africa T20 squad but will join the side for the extended stay in South Africa.
The Cricket Cranes will be taking part in the extended Africa T20 for the first time alongside other new comers Nigeria.
The Africa T20 organised by Cricket South Africa features the top franchise teams in South Africa with other African nations playing as invitational sides.
Kenya, Zimbabwe and Namibia have featured in the previous editions and this year they decided to extend the invitation to other nations.
Initially, Uganda had decided not to participate due a congestion of fixtures but a late withdrawal of Ghana gave the Cricket Cranes an opportunity to make an appearance at the global showpiece.
Uganda will be in a tough Group A that includes the defending champions Kwazulu Natal Inland and the side will be based in Pietermaritzburg. They will play their first game on Friday morning against KZN Coastal.
GROUP A FIXTURES – PIETERMARITZBURG
Friday, September 14
9:30-12:40
KZN Coastal v Uganda, Pietermaritzburg Oval
13:30 – 16:40
KZN Inland v Uganda, Varsity Oval
Saturday, September 15
13:30 – 16:40
Uganda v Easterns, Varsity Oval
Sunday, September 16
9:30-12:40
Uganda v Western Province, Pietermaritzburg Oval
