Uganda’s performance at the Division 3 World Cricket League in Argentina generated a lot of tension and drama, but it lacked one defining feature characteristic of Uganda’s previous sporting campaigns, which have subjected nationals to torment—failure.

Following wins against Hong Kong and Argentina—which took many Ugandan fans to the brink of a nervous breakdown—the national team booked its passage to the International Cricket Council (ICC) World Cup Qualifier, which will take place in South Africa in April.

The mental fortitude of coach Ebrahim Mohammed’s side was lauded, with the South African coming in for deserved praise. “Finally,” local folk said, “a Ugandan team with belief!”

Yet it’s just as well his team was found psychologically robust, because its weaknesses elsewhere left it having to optimise every strength. Those very weaknesses must be sorted before the qualifier starts if Uganda is to realise the dream of its first ever World Cup qualification.

If the tournament in Argentina was any indication, Uganda is far from a complete team. The middle batting order proved particularly suspect, making it hard to imagine the team going to South Africa with the same players—or rather the players with the same form.

Which one of these two will be changed in the two months before South Africa is for the selectors and Mohammed to decide, but one thing is certain: the middle order conundrum must be resolved.

“We are kind of struggling as a team to bat,” observed Ugandan star player and man of the tournament Kenneth Kamyuka. Yet Kamyuka believes the batting “has improved,” and attributes the middle order’s unimpressive returns to the slow nature of Argentina’s wickets, which the players are not used to. He argues that it is another aspect of Uganda’s game that requires urgent attention.

“Our fielding cost us the game against Papua New Guinea [Uganda’s solitary loss in Argentina],” he said. 

“That will be crucial in South Africa. We can’t afford to keep on dropping catches. We need to tighten up in the fielding and we’ll be in the World Cup. That’s one area we need to work on as a team.”

Yet the fact that Kamyuka could only identify Uganda’s loss to PNG as an example of poor fielding suggestse the problem is not deep-rooted. Even if it was, resolving it would be fairly simple as it is simply about raising a player’s concentration level and fitness.

Uganda’s batting, on the other hand, needs that—and much more. Mohammed agrees his batsmen have to up their levels, and has promised to deal with them on an “individual basis”.

The coach has decided to recall for training Lawrence Ssematimba and Raymond Otim, who were dropped for Argentina, and teenagers Henry Ssenyondo, Ahmed Yakoub, Ahmed Sangau, as well as ex-national player Fred Isabirye.

Mohammed was somewhat elusive about the meaning of the decision to recall these players. “I’m not saying we are going to drop anybody. What I’m saying is that all players will be competing for places,” he said. Nehal Bibodi is tipped to be dropped—bar some mysterious rediscovery of form—probably to make way for Ssematimba.

Yet a closer look at the team’s performance in Argentina suggests that other national team players should be scampering around for their own form-boosting solution.

World Cup Qualifier, South Africa, April

Group A: Canada, Ireland, Namibia, Oman, Scotland, Uganda

Group B: Afghanistan, Bermuda, Denmark, Kenya, Netherlands, UAE.

Comments (12)

Subscribe to this comment's feed

Name

Email

Website

Title

Comment

smaller | bigger

I have read and agree to the Terms of Usage.

Add Comment Preview