Uganda 154/10 Swamipaba 136/10
A dramatic 18 run victory saw Uganda thump Kenya's leading club Swamipaba CC
2-1 over the Easter weekend at Lugogo cricket oval.
Swamipaba made a four-day playing tour to Uganda's capital city Kampala went
back home with a 2-1 defeat after playing three thrilling games with the
hosts.
The final between the hosts' senior side and the visitors was the tightest
of the three friendly games played.
Swamipaba suffered a one wicket loss to the Ugandan under 19 on Good Friday
after amassing 245/7 in the allotted 50 overs. The Ugandan lads overhauled
the set score in the second last over with the last wicket. The visitors had
five Kenyan national players and three of the Under-19 squad that toured New
Zealand in January for the World Cup championships.
A century from international Lameck Onyango led the visitors to a massive
261/10 in 49.2 overs during the second game.
Onyango batting at No. 6 notched 117 off 101 balls with eleven fours and two
sixes staying on the crease for 136 minutes.
The rest of the Kenyan batsmen including Captain David Tikolo were dismissed
with ugly scores after failing a Ugandan pace attack of Richard Ssempa
(3/32) and Simon Nsubuga (2/63).
The visitors however responded with a disgraceful 128/10 in 39.5 overs with
Nehal Bibodi (66) as the only batsman scoring double figures. Pacemen
Josephat Ababu (3/24) and Andrew Mboya (3/23) did the damage after opening
bowler Lameck Onyango (1/20 in 8)
staging an economic and intelligent bowling to restrict the hosts to 64/5 in
20 overs. The Uganda Select side lost the encounter by 133 runs.
Uganda that won the toss in the final game started the batting on a false
note losing the first three wickets for 37 in 12 overs. Openers Michael
Ndiko (13), Lawrence Ssematimba (01) and Joel Olweny (08) were all dismissed
by paceman Peter Ocheing (5/34).
Right-hand batsman Junior Kwebiiha was the nation's hero hitting a
respectable 51 including a mighty straight six before a reckless shot that
made him caught at point off Andrew Mboya (4/36).
The middle and late order managed 119/8 in 40 overs giving away five dolly
catches. Kenneth Kamyuka aka 'One Dayer' then took charge to score 28 runs
off 20 balls including two gigantic sixes to lead the hosts to 154/10.
Lameck Onyango eventually caught him at the boundary.
A pace attack of Kamyuka (25 runs in 9 overs) and Okia (2/23) restricted the
opponents to 34/1 in 16 overs after surviving three dropped catches in the
slips.
Opener George Obiero (32) was the hero for the visitors as the rest of the
batsmen failed a medium pace attack of Tendo Mbazzi (3/24) and a spin
challenge of Frank Nsubuga (2/22).
Captain John Lubia, who kept on shuffling his bowlers sensibly, stole the
limelight when he took charge of the ball and claimed a vital wicket of
David Tikolo (11) lbw to change the tide of the game.
The visitors looked comfortable at 120/8 in 41 overs needing only 24 runs
off 54 balls. Lubia then killed the frail Kenyan challenge by calling back
the pace attack of Kamyuka and Okia.
It was the latter who ensured the final nail in the visitors coffin when he
clean bowled Josephat Ababu (07) to set the big crowd into wild cheers at
Lugogo oval.
Uganda will reciprocate the tour in June after the Malaysia Challenge
tournament in Kuala Lumpur slated for May 23-26.
Meanwhile, the national Mini cricket championships start this weekend with
the finals at Lugogo Oval. The national Bank of Baroda Sunday league is set
to start April 14.
© ICC 2002
