Baby Cricket Cranes off the mark at Division 2 Africa World Cup Qualifiers in Rwanda

• Game 1: Uganda U-19 v Rwanda U-19
• Result: Uganda U-19 178/5 beat Nigeria U-19 176 all out by 5 wickets

Uganda’s Baby Cricket Cranes got off the mark in their opening game of the Division 2 Africa U-19 World Cup Qualifiers in Kigali, Rwanda.

Uganda came through a tricky encounter with West Africans Nigeria to put points on the board that could be valuable.

Uganda won the toss and elected to bowl first. They reaped quick dividends from that decision, with Nigeria reduced to 35//5 and to 50/6 until a seventh-wicket partnership between Keneth Boniface (91) and Okasha Isiyaku (34) put on 100 runs together.

The partnership rescued the innings for Nigeria and got them to finish on 177 all out in their quota of 50 Overs, something they were able to bowl at.

However, Uganda missed an opportunity to skittle their opponents cheaply to make sure that they don’t have a tricky second innings.

In the run chase, the reliable Devansh Patel and Abraiz Ali departed early, and only a strong partnership between Samuel Ahaisbwe (72) and Robert Owili (30) rescued the chase for Uganda, and that slow, painful death wore out Nigeria in the afternoon heat.

Richard Sohera (20) and Jackson Asiku (17) knocked off the deficit at the back end to bring up the win for Uganda.

The Baby Cricket Cranes got off the mark not in the most comfortable of ways, but once you deal with your direct rivals for qualification, then you have done the job.

There were positives, especially the new-ball bowling pair of Harry Itaagi (3/18) and Felix Ochan (3/24), who bowled with great consistency inside the power play, never allowing Nigeria to get ahead. The runs started coming for Nigeria after the two partners were taken out of the attack.

Samuel Ahaisibwe was shaky at the beginning of his innings, but once he had some blood in his feet, he expressed himself freely and scored to all different parts of the ground. His partnership with Owili was perfectly timed because it allowed Uganda to dig in and play for the long game. A great lesson for Uganda players about application, especially in the 50 Over format that tests your limits.

There is little time to rest for the Baby Cricket Cranes because they will be back in action tomorrow against Mozambique.

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