Brilliant Kenya upset Uganda to grab World Cup berth

Kenya on Saturday qualified for next year’s ICC Under-19 World Cup set for New Zealand from January 3 to February 13 after an empathic seven-wicket win over Uganda at the Nairobi Gymkhana ground.

The victory was enough to send the Kenyan lads to the World Cup on a superior net run rate. Uganda were unbeaten in the tournament and looked set to clinch the only berth reserved for Africa at the World Cup until yesterday when they lost to Jimmy Kamande’s charges.

Batting first, Uganda were routed for a paltry 60 in just 17.1 overs of their allotted 50 overs. Uganda’s batsmen failed to cope with Kenya’s stiff bowling and tight fielding and lost wickets at a more regular interval without posting meaningful runs on the scoreboard.

Roger Olipa (17 off 14 balls with a four and a six) top scored for Uganda. Siraje Nsubuga (13 off 17 balls with three boundaries) and Richard Agamii, with a run a ball 10 that included a boundary, were the only batsmen who managed to score double digit figures.

Uganda’s wickets fell like a pack of cards. They started their innings on a wrong footing when Maxwel Ager (2/6) trapped opening batsman, Zephania Arinaitwe’s leg before wicket for four with a score of three runs showing on the board.

Arinaitwe’s opening partner, Ronald Opio was trapped leg before wicket for a golden duck by Gerald Mwendwa (3/21). Ager also clean bowled Eddy Agaba for naught.

Mwendwa also got Kenneth Waiswa (1) caught by Ankit Hirani and had Siraje Nsubuga caught by Thomas Ochieng.

Five Ugandan batsmen got naught scores on the board while three others got single digit figures. Kenya gave Uganda nine runs on a silver platter by bowling extras.

In reply, Kenya was home and dry after hitting 61 for the loss of three wickets in 8.3 overs. Thomas Ochieng, who was unbeaten on 26 off 22 deliveries, broke Uganda’s hearts when he got a boundary four. To qualify for the World Cup, Kenya was required to reach the target of 61 in 9 overs.

At one point it appeared as if the target was slipping through Kenya’s fingers and the spectators, who included hundreds of school children, were on their feet encouraging the batsmen to go for the required runs and when Ochieng got it, the fans stormed into the oval in jubilation.

“It is the best victory for us. It came through hard work. The players believed in themselves,” said Kamande.

AUTOMATIC QUALIFICATION

In the first leg of the tournament, Uganda (231 all out in 48.1 overs) beat Kenya (162 all out in 46.4 overs) by 69 runs.

It will be the second time Kenya will be taking part in the event.

Kenya got an automatic qualification to the 2002 Under-19 World Cup in Australia by the virtue of their One Day International (ODI) status. At the time, Kenya was the only associate member of ICC with the ODI status.