Match Summary
Uganda v Sierra Leone
Uganda 143/2 (Damalie Busingye 65, Naomi Kayondo 34, Franklin Najjumba 26) Sierra Leone 53 all out (Consy Aweko 4/6, Immaculate Nakisuyi 3/14)
Uganda won by 90 runs
Match Day 2 Fixtures
Mozambique v Nigeria (10.30am) – Old Harare Sports Club
Kenya v Sierraleon (10.30am EAT) – Takashinga Sports Club
Uganda v Namibia (2.50pm EAT) – Old Harare Sports Club
Zimbabwe v Tanzania (2.50pm EAT) – Takashinga Sports Club
The only thing that didnt well for Team Uganda today was the early loss of Rachel Ntono at the begining of their innings other than that the defending champions had a great day in the field against Sierra Leone.
The defending champions in a tough Group B needed to have a good start and once Kevin Awino won the toss she chose to bat 1st. The playing XI selected today had 10 players from championship winning team in Namibia two years ago with only Damalie Busingye making the starting XI.
Damalie Busingye opened the batting with the experienced Rachel Ntono and despite losing Rachel early after she was given out LBW trying to turn a straight ball into midwicket. There was no panic in the team Uganda camp as Naomi Kayondo (34) combined with Damalie to put on a partnership of 80 for the second wicket to set the base for Uganda to post a big total.
Sierra Leone from the get go set a defensive field that allowed singles but cut off alot of boundaries, Despite neither Naomi nor Damalie being quick between the wickets they were able to quickly adapt by running hard between the wickets as they made singles turn into twos and twos into threes.
Naomi departed at 80/2 for a well played 34 and the technical bench decided to send the experienced Franklin Najjumba early on to try and take on the bowlers and accelerate the total. Franklin and Damalie complemented each other very well with the set Damalie picking up singles to allow Franklin have the strike, Damalie brought up her 50 with a lofted slog over mid wicket in the process.
The second wicket partnership of Damalie and Franklin yieled 63 runs as Damalie finished unbeaten on 65 while her partner Franklin finished on 26 not out. Uganda set a commanding 143/2 in their 20 overs.
In the chase Sierra Leone were not very troubled by the opening pace bowling combination of Joyce Mary Apio and Rita Musamali till the introduction of the spin of Consy Aweko and Immaculate Nakisuyi who combined to pick up seven wickets between themselves. Consy Aweko finished with figures of 4/6 in 3.5 overs while Immaculate Nakisuyi got 3/14 in 4 overs.
Sierra Leone was all out for 53 runs in 16.5 overs giving Uganda a 90 run win. The opening day win for the lady cricket cranes gives them alot of confidence ahead of tomorrow’s encounter against Namibia. Namibia managed to defeat fellow East Africans Kenya by 39 runs to peg Kenya back in a difficult group.
In the other game home side Zimbabwe defeated new comers Mozambique by a mammoth 163 runs while Rwanda got over the line against Nigeria with a 37 run win.