It is the time to make hay.
The clubs that seek to dream differently and dominate the new season are already on the prowl.
With the new Uganda Cricket Association (UCA) season set to roll off on March 18, the transfer season has seen many of the big clubs break the banks to woo their desired talents ahead of what should be an enthralling year of cricket both on the local and international scene.
After acquiring the services of left-arm orthodox spinner Henry Ssenyondo from National Twenty20 champions Challengers, Aziz Damani have helplessly looked on as their star batsman and runs machine Arnold Otwani, switched camps to youthful Charity Ceylon Lions for the 2018 term.
Otwani’s move has been gauged by many pundits as one of a bitter player who wants to cut ties with individuals in the Aziz Damani set-up that he feels want to derail his international career.
But speaking to the right-hand opening batsman, Otwani opines that the new club will re-ignite his hunger to excel. “Aziz Damani is full of star players and any one can win a game,” said the 22-year-old Otwani when contacted by Cricket Uganda.
“But at Charity, the onus will be on me to deliver consistently if the team is to win anything. The club has a good set-up. When its Director of Cricket Ruwan Jayaratne talked to me, I found his offer too good and also the chance for me to thrive was hard to ignore.”
And while at UCTF Otwani, who won two league championships with Siva Koti’s men (Division II – 2016 & Division I – 2017), will be itching to silence his critics and prove to the fraternity that he is not only just ‘a changed man’ but also ready for a recall to the Cricket Cranes fold.