Falling Short. The Baby Cricket Cranes were out of their depth against Namibia as they suffered a disappointing 121-run defeat. PHOTO/ICC-AFRICA
The Baby Cricket Cranes suffered a disappointing 121-run (DLS Method) defeat against Namibia in the ICC Under-19 World Cup qualifiers at the TBS Oval in Nigeria today. The rain-affected tie saw Uganda face a revised target of 189 in 36 overs after a tough day in the field.
For the first time in the tournament, Uganda lost the toss, and Namibia opted to bat first in tricky conditions. Despite the early loss of Eric Lintvelt (15), Namibia found stability through Liam Basson (15), Tiaan Van Der Merwe (53), and captain Francois Du Plessis (35). The combo of the latter two helped Namibia reach a commanding 135/3 in 36 overs before rain interrupted the match.
In response, Uganda’s chase faltered early. Robert Owili (10), who returned to the line-up after missing the previous two games, struggled at the top, and Gerald Olipa went without scoring. Despite efforts from Jonathan Nyiro (16) and Peter Ochen (12*), Uganda were bowled out for just 68 runs in 23.5 overs. Max Heingo was the star bowler for Namibia, with valuable support from Du Plessis and Junior Uyage Tanyaada, each claiming two wickets.
This defeat leaves Uganda with a dead-rubber in their final match against Nigeria on Sunday, April 6th at the Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS) Oval in Lagos. Even if Uganda secure two points, they will not avoid relegation to Division Two. Only the top team from the round-robin table will qualify for the ICC Under-19 World Cup, and with Tanzania, Namibia, and Kenya all vying for the top spot, the stakes are high.
Uganda currently sits in fourth place, with Sierra Leone and Nigeria yet to earn any points, with the relegation monster already staring at them. Even a strong performance against Nigeria will be just for pride as it cannot guarantee them any hope of staying in Africa’s Division One tier.
ICC U-19 MEN’S CRICKET WORLD CUP AFRICA QUALIFIERS
Match Summary
Namibia U-19: 135/3 in 36 overs (Target 189)
Uganda U-19: 68/10 in 23.5 overs
Namibia won by 121 runs (DLS Method)
Last Fixture – Sunday, April 6
Nigeria vs. Uganda, 11.30am EAT (TBS Oval, Lagos)
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