The Men’s Elite League provided a lot of firepower. It was not a good time to be a bowler in the tournament because a lot of the batters were hungry, the best bowler had only eight wickets in the tournament, but the 2335 runs from the 1 0 games, 119 maximums (6s), as many as the 175 boundaries (4s) that yielded nine half centuries.
Here are a few players who lit up the men’s elite league.
Fahad Mutagana (Bujjagali Rafters) – 183 Runs
Mutagana had two half-centuries and only had one single-digit score from his five innings, and the former baby cricket cranes captain is showing signs of growth. He had a good mentality at the total of the order and always got the Rafters out of the block early with Robinson Obuya. He is now part of the Uganda Emerging side and if he keeps batting well, he will definitely be in the important conversations. He is also a very good fielder and occasionally bowls some spin, but he can only make the side as a batter.
Gerald Olipa (Bujjagali Rafters) – 228 Runs
The best batter of the tournament had three half-centuries in the tournament with a very healthy strike rate. The senior six vacist from Busoga College Mwiri is highly thought of but will need to improve on some aspects of his game for him to realise his full potential. He took a lot of responsibility batting at number 3 consistently, which gave him the freedom to play long innings. He is definitely one for the future and he will need to be taken care of by the hierarchy.
Anas Baig (Itanda Kayakers) – 164 Runs
Anas got only one half-century but he left an impression. His knock in the final was very vital for the Itanda Kayakers enroute to the title. He was very strong against slow bowlers, using his power to hit them all over the ground but he will need to be smart with his shot selection as he continues his growth.
Felix Ochan (Karuma Rapids)
Uganda has always produced fast bowling talent and the young man from Gulu had his name on people’s lips. His genuine raw pace was his weapon but sometimes his weakness as well. He is rough around the edges but he has the qualities to go to the next level. He will need to be nurtured for him to grow and fulfil his potential.
Abraiz Ali (Itanda Kayakers)
An exciting all-rounder, Abraiz has been thrown in the deep end to learn the hard way. He has been given the opportunities in the teams he has played, and it’s up to him use those opportunities before they dry up. He is very good in all three skills, and as he continues to get exposed, he will need to raise the level of his skills.
Yunus Sowobi (Bujjagali Rafters)
Yunus is another from the U-19 generation who played at the 2022 World Cup in the West Indies. He is a great T20 bowler but his lack of pace sometimes makes him vulnerable but he is intelligent enough to complement his lack of pace with changes in pace.
Charles Mushemeza (Karuma Rapids)
He was not fortunate enough to help his team in tight situations but Mushemeza has been talked about for a while but the opportunity is still elusive because of the competition at the top of the order for the Cricket Cranes. He is very explosive at the top but he needs to make those starts count and convert them into big totals; that is what people remember, not cameos.
Jordan Okecho (Karuma Rapids)
He carries the weight of a big surname in the history of Uganda Cricket, he is a son to Cricket Cranes former Captain Henry Okecho, and just like his father, he is running in hard. The youngster from Busoga College Mwiri, though, needs to put some cotton wool in his ears and carve out his own path; he still has a long way to go in terms of learning the art of fast bowling but the talent is there to see. He has the advantage that so many people are willing to help him and see him develop into a fine bowler for Uganda.