Uganda Return Top Of Challenge League B After Beating Italy

By Thomas Odongo

ICC CWC Challenge League B

Friday @Kyambogo

Italy: 120/10 (36.3/50 ov)

Uganda: 121/3 (24.2/50 ov)

Uganda won by 7 wickets

Uganda men’s national cricket team, Cricket Cranes are back to the top of the table of the ICC Cricket World Cup (CWC) Challenge League B tournament after they beat Italy by seven wickets on Friday at the University Oval, Kyambogo.

Jersey’s 55-runs win over Hong Kong at Lugogo Cricket Oval in the other game ensured that the latter who were at the summit before Friday action bowled off come down to second place with 13 points, just one behind leaders Uganda.

At Kyambogo, Uganda eased past Italy posting 121 runs for the fall off 3 wickets in 24.2/50 overs. Italy who batted first made 120 runs and were all out in 36.3/50 overs.

Kenneth Waiswa (35 runs from 55 balls) and Denish Kumar Nakrani (25 runs from 16 balls) capped Uganda’s innings as the home side ensured that the fans return home early. They both had boundaries.

Ronak Patel (23 runs from 47 balls) and Simon Ssesazi (15 runs from 24 balls) also put in a good shift. Emmanuel Hasahya was the other player who batted for Cricket Cranes and he had 5 runs from 4 balls including a boundary.

For Italy’s innings, the top performers included Crishan Jorge Priyantha with 31 runs from 56 balls, Nicolas Malolo with 28 from 52 plus Gian-Piero Sergio Meade who managed 18 from 18.

Meanwhile, to remain atop of the table after the second round of the tournament, Cricket Cranes must ensure that they beat neighbors Kenya in their final game on Sunday at Lugogo but also hope that the latter beat second placed Hong Kong when they clash the next day in the final matchday of the showpiece.

The tournament is a pathway to the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup in India but most importantly a voyage that could end with Uganda securing the much-vaunted One-Day International (ODI) status.