Uganda’s senior men’s cricket team, the Cricket Cranes came two games down to level the Bilateral Series between themselves and Papua New Guinea 2-2 following their 42 run win against the side in the Series’ final game on Sunday at the Lakeside Oval in Entebbe.
The two sides who are both preparing for their respective ICC World Cup Challenge League- a cricket tournament which forms part of the 2027 Cricket World Cup qualification process- embarked on this Series five days ago, and the visitors drew first blood.
PNG who Uganda beat by 3 wickets at the latter’s maiden ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in West Indies four months ago went 2-0 up in the opening two games, but after a day’s rest for both sides, Abhay Sharma’s team got their first series win against the Barramundis.
PNG captain Assad Vala- after a mediocre performance in the opening two games- stood tall for his team in the last two games, but the Cricket Cranes’ strength which is the bowling attack couldn’t let the Oceanian side walk away with the bragging rights.
Vala scored 66- an individual highest score at the tournament- on Saturday, and 52 in the final game, but his efforts were matched by an equally stellar bowling display from Uganda.
On Saturday when Uganda found their first win in form of a 43-run win, spinners Henry Ssenyondo and Alpesh Ramjani rode the show. On Sunday (the last day) however, medium pacer and all-rounder Dinesh Nakrani owned the show.
On Sunday, the Cricket Cranes for the first time won the toss in this Series, and they went for the bat! Shrideep Mangela who was debuting for the national team at this tournament and Robinson Obuya who was playing his second game in this competition were once again chosen to open the bat, and they gave their team a steady start, scoring, 15 and 38 respectively.
Obuya ended up scoring the team’s highest score on the day, but Raghav Dawan (27)- another player who was debuting for the side- and former Baby Cricket Cranes captain who led the junior side at the 2022 ICC T20 U19 Men’s T20 World Cup in West Indies put 31 to his name; and as such led the Cricket Cranes to a total of 164/10.
Tony Pala Ura in the chase opened with Gaudi Toka, but, Juma Miyaji who’s the Cricket Cranes’ opening bowler, and who, for the past two years has been troubled by injuries clean bowled the 34-year old with the first bowl of the innings.
Uganda’s next wicket arrived in the 17th Over when Toka drove his ball towards midwicket, and only getting caught by team captain Riazat Ali Shah through Alpesh Ramjani’s bowling.
Vala who came at No.3 and Toka had tried to steady the ship for their side, but once Nakarani dismissed Vala (lbw), PNG’s chase became a thing of a laughter, and it was all thanks to Miyaji and Dinesh.
Miyaji ended the game with 3 wickets while Dinesh with four, and only 18 conceded off his maximum Overs walked away with the Man of the Match award.
While Dinesh excelled in the final game with his bowling, Ssenyondo with 13 wickets picked the most wickets in this competition. He ended the series as the best bowler.
Dinesh with 73 and Riazat wih 66 came third and fifth respectively on the batting chat.
Ssenyondo however, won the Most Valuable Player award with 501 points. Nakrani came fourth with 378 while veteran, Frank Nsubuga finished on fifth with 285.
PNG’s Sese Bau and Vala with 403 and 382 ce second and third respectively.
With Uganda pitted in league B of the Challenge League alongside Singapore, Bahrain, Hongkong, Italy and Tanzania, and PNG with Kuwait, Denmark, Jersey, Qatat and hosts Kenya in League A, the two sides will now look forward to progressing to the next round.
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