Since the departure of Steve Tikolo early this year, Uganda Cricket Association has been searching for a national team coach.
Davis Turinawe who has been handling the Cricket Cranes on interim turned down the opportunity to coach the team on a permanent basis and thus the association had to look elsewhere.
Cricket Uganda’s search sent them down south of the continent where they picked up South Africa’s U-19 coach Lawrence Mahatlane.
“We are very excited to have a coach of such calibre in the setup. He finds the team on an upward spiral and (we) believe he will continue with the momentum already gathered. He will also be a very key figure in setting up the structures for the national teams. We wish him the best of luck in his new position,” Martin Ondeko, the CEO of Cricket Uganda, said of Mahatlane as quoted in a press release.
The 43-year-old Mahatlane who has been working as a commentator with South Africa Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) and coaching the South Africa U-19s since 2014 is excited to join the Cricket Cranes.
“I am very excited with the opportunity to be a part of the Cricket Cranes family. I look forward to working with Brian (Masaba) and the rest of the team in taking the team forward,” he is quoted in the press release.
Mahatlane who has joined Cricket Cranes set up on a three-year deal is expected in the country when travel restriction is lifted to start hands on preparations for a busy 2021.
Mahatlane finds Cricket Cranes at the top of ICC World Cup Challenge League B after sweeping through the first leg in Oman late last year.