Cricketers in 8-wicket win over Uganda in T20 qualifier

Kenya’s right-arm fast medium bowler, Lucas Oluoch, on Saturday had a brilliant performance with the ball, taking five wickets for the same number of runs conceded in the Pepsi ICC Africa Twenty20 Championship match in which Kenya beat Uganda by eight wickets at Benoni, South Africa.

Batting first, Uganda failed to cope with Kenya’s stiff bowling and tight fielding and were routed for 81 runs in 17 overs.

Arthur Kyobe top scored for Uganda with 37 runs. Frank Nsubuga (13) and S. Ukani (10) were the only other batsmen who got double digit figures in the match.

MAIN DESTROYER

Oluoch was Uganda’s super destroyer, taking five wickets for five runs conceded in his four overs. His victims were S. Ukani whom he had caught by Collins Obuya.

He got Deusdedit Muhumuza caught by Irfan Karim for a duck. He gave the same dose of the medicine to Jonathan Sabanja (0) who was caught by Shem Ngoche.

He also had Ngoche catch D. Bakunzi for 4 and Karim catch V. Rana for two.Nelson Odhiambo (2/13) and Narendra Patel (1/8) were the other Kenyan wicket takers. In reply, Kenya reached the target, 82 with eight wickets and 32 balls in hand.

Alex Obanda was Kenya’s highest runs getter with unbeaten 44. Karim (23), Narendra (7) and Obuya (4 not out) were the other batsmen who contributed runs to the side. Ugandan wicket takers were Rana (1/12) and H. Senyondo (1/27).

Kenya will face Ghana on Sunay at the same venue.

Six teams - Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Namibia, Botswana and Ghana - are fighting for the two slots allocated to the continent in the forthcoming ICC Cricket World Cup Twenty20 Qualifier to be jointly hosted by Ireland and Scotland in July and August.