Cricket Cranes got down to business in Mumbai after arriving yesterday from Qatar and Kampala. They played their first of two 40-over games against Thane Eagle Strikers at the ICWC Academy.
Cyrus Kakuru and Rogers Olipa were the only two players from the Kampala group to get a game as the rest of the playing XI were made up of Qatar contingent.
Brian Masaba led the side as the Cricket Cranes were asked to bat first by the hosts. Not for the first time, the opening partnership of Zephaniah Arinatitwe and Roger Mukasa had no rewards with both falling for single-digit figures.
Team Captain Brian Masaba (75) put his hand up and he got help from Kenneth Waiswa (25) and Frank Akankwasa (38) as the Cricket Cranes posted a decent 198/6 in their 40 overs.
The hosts were quickly reduced to 2/1 inside 3 overs when left-arm seamer Charles Waiswa drew first blood for the Cricket Cranes with an early wicket. However, Kaustab Thakur (53) Shrikant Limbole (46) and a late show from Ashwarya Surve (54) took the game away from the visitors as the hosts won by two wickets with over four overs left in the game.
The Cricket Cranes will be back in tomorrow against another select side as they wind up their two 40 over games in Mumbai before moving to Sanjay Farm.
There was a first for Uganda as the only female umpire in Uganda Cricket Sharon Athoula stood in the middle for the first game. This commitment should motivate more ladies to join umpiring.