Ceylon Lions 151 all out in 31.2 overs (Arnold Otwani 50 (53), Simon Ssesazi 45 (66), Davis Karashani 5/32 in 5 overs) beat KICC 114 for 9 in 32 overs (Arthur Ziraba 30 (57), Fahad Sadiq 24* (31) Otwani 2/13 in 5 overs) by 37 runs

Man of Match: Davis Karashani

Former Cricket Cranes skipper Davis Karashani took consolation with the Man of Match honours after a fiver that helped Kampala Institute Cricket Club (KICC) restrict 151 all out in 31.2 overs.

But that quickly paled into mere bread crumbs after Ceylon Lions, renamed after a sweeping merger that saw the administration choose to credit their new partners by fore-going the Uganda Children’s Trust Fund (UCTF) name, authoritatively breezed to a 37-run win against the ‘star-filled KICC.

Saturday’s overnight rains had left the University Oval in Kyambogo Oval battered as justified by the rains that pierced through the wicket covers.
The extensive team warm-ups after third umpire George Ekochu made it clear the game would be a late-start affair reduced to 32 overs.

Lunch was served early on and although KICC captain Hanumant Katkar won the toss and stuck in Ceylon Lions, it was the latter setting the game’s pace with industrious batting.

It wasn’t easy peasy as opener Ruwan Jayaratne (1 off 10) and Eddie Agaba (10 off 17) fell in the first 10 overs as Lions huffed and puffed at 36 for 2.

But Arnold Otwani (50 off 53) joined Simon Ssesazi (45 off 66) and pair grinded out a 64 runs partnership for the third stand that turned out to be the match-changer on what was a tough batting-wicket.

When Ssesazi fell off Karashani (5 for 32 in 5)’s first ball, the collapse that followed was of epic proportions with Lions skipper Lawrence Ssempijja’s 21-ball 18 helping the youthful side reach 151 in 31.2 overs.


Fluctuating chase

Needing just 4.7 runs per over to coast home for their first win of the season after they went down to Challengers in their first game two weeks ago at Entebbe Oval, KICC struggled for rhythm throughout their innings.

Wickets tumbled at regular intervals and they were three down inside 10 overs with just 30-odd runs on board.
Opener Arthur Ziraba stayed firm for 30 off 58 balls and Cricket Cranes big-hitting all-rounder Irfan Afridi excited his fans with one six but fell early for 11 as KICC reeled at 63 for 4 at the halfway stage (16 overs).

It was a tense game from then on and no one showed that they could handle the pressure-cooker with Ceylon’s bowlers working the magic with economical wicket-taking spells.

Otwani spun it devilishly late on for figures of 2 for 13 and Ssempijja hit the right patches to finish with 2 for 19 in 7 overs. The trio of spinner Aarya Parikh plus pacemen Abraham Alema and Jonathan Ssebanja snared one piece as KICC was left stranded on 114 with no more overs to play.

With the game already buried, Ssempijja asked his opener Jayaratne (0 for 14 in 2) to roll over his arm and Fahad Sadiq (24 not out) chanced his hands but it was all final fanfare as Ceylon Lions had rolled over a fierce competitor on their rebirth.