Strikers CC 200 All out in 48.5 (Ivan Thawithemwira 52(72), Derrick Bakunzi 33(50), Rogers Olipa 31(30), Asadu Seyiga 4/38 in 9 overs, Aneef Mohamad 2/31 in 10 overs beat Challengers CC 160/10 in 43.4 overs (Hamu Kayondo 44(66), Shehzad Khamal 44(53), Frank Akankwasa 4/25 in 8.4 overs, Siraje Nsubuga 3/35 in 10 overs) by 40 runs
Toss won by strikers who opted to bat
Ivan Thawithermwira’s half century sets up Strikers CC total
Captain Frank Akankwasa bowls Strikers to victory
Challengers CC throw away certain victory in run chase
Ivan Thawithemwira departed from Challengers CC under a cloud of a mystification of opinions and game plans that saw captaincy change hands in the middle of the 2017 season only to return to him at the end; he made the most of it departing with a T20 trophy and best wicket keeper accolade.
His first trick this season was appearing in the Strikers CC Jersey at Entebbe oval to the surprise of many.
On Sunday the 8th of April he found his atonement against his former team with a half century that dug Striker CC out of trouble and on to victory.
The highly billed explosive Strikers CC opening pair came to naught second game in a row as Zephaniah Katungi 12(9) and Perry Wazombe 11(26) fell to Asadu Seyiga who picked one down Siraje Nsubuga leaving the youthful side 35/3 in 8 overs.
Ivan Thawithemwira 51(72) walking onto the crease for his new side as early as the sixth over opened his account with two to deep square leg off Wabwire. The Strikers CC debutant’s first call of duty from the dugout was obviously to stem the fall of wickets at the lakeside oval as he played out a David Wabwire maiden over to settle in.
His 11 run fourth wicket stand with John Tumusiime calmed things down until his partner became Muhammad Aneef’s first of two victims on the day caught by Faizal.
Ivan did ride his luck, dropped by Arthur Kyobe at long on and at point by Faizal Hussein, he then established himself with the seniority he was hired for. Ivan struggled to find a partner; compatriots walking to and from the crease with unwelcome frequency; Derrick Bakunzi 35(53) with two boundaries then digging in for a 45 run sixth wicket stand that carried Strikers to 143/8 in the 40th over when Aneef snared Ivan who had just reached his milestone.
Bakunzi kicked on with Rogers Olipa 31(31) who played a gem of an innings at the back end; picking his first run off his first ball faced to deep extra cover, he kept the tempo up with no respite to the tiring field. He consistently peppered the sweeper on the off side running hard with only two boundaries in his knock guiding Strikers CC to193/9 in the 49th over when Amir Hamza picked him and eventually 200 all out for the team.
Captain Akankwasa who failed with bat second game on the trot took on the attacking role taking the ball in the powerplay, immediately vaporizing any counter attacking plans Challengers CC may have had in sending the hard hitting Aneef to open the innings.
Left hander and national team middle order player Shehzad Kamal 44(58) joined national team opener Hamu Kayondo 43(66) mending the faltering innings with alacrity; a 95 run third wicket stand that looked like batting Strikers out of the contest.
With 95 needed off 174; leg spinner Simon Okecho had Shehzad caught; Siraje Nsubuga striking 3 overs later, Hamu caught by Olipa. The fielding side lifted by Shehzad wicket, and seeing the back of two senior batsmen, now swooping in on everything off the bat.
107/2 in 22 overs quickly became 129/6 as collapse of 4/22 left the Challengers tail enders needing 73 off 138; Akankwasa turning the screws with ball in hand; his final hindrance the left hander Wabwose.
Steven Wabwose 18(52) was left to marshal the tail to victory losing Asadu and Wabwire in a rearguard effort that had the fielding team quiet for a while but Akankwasa made certain of the victory trapping the impregnable Wabwose LBW to claim victory by 40 runs.