Cricket Cranes suffered a dismal batting performance on Thursday, leading to a heartbreaking 24-run loss against Namibia in the semifinals of the African Games, effectively dashing their hopes of securing the gold medal.
Despite showcasing strong bowling and fielding performances, Uganda struggled to capitalize on their opportunities. Led by Alpesh Ramjani and Juma Miyaji, who each claimed three wickets, the team managed to restrict the Richelieu Eagles to 111 runs. However, a poor batting display ultimately proved to be their downfall.
Roger Mukasa emerged as the sole standout batter, contributing a respectable 36 runs. However, his efforts were not enough to salvage the innings. Simon Ssesazi fell early with only 7 runs on the board, while top-order batsman Ronald Lutaya suffered a duck, adding to Uganda’s woes.
The team’s middle order; Dinesh Nakrani, Ramjani, and Kenneth Waiswa, who captained the side in the absence of the injured Brian Masaba, struggled to make an impact as the pressure kept on mounting in the chase
Unlike their previous match against South Africa, where Masaba heroically led the team despite injury, Uganda lacked a decisive leader on Thursday, leading to a frustrating defeat and an end to their gold medal aspirations.
With their hopes for gold dashed, the Cricket Cranes now turn their attention to the bronze medal match against Kenya on Saturday morning. Kenya’s loss to Zimbabwe in the other semifinal sets the stage for a competitive battle for third place.
Meanwhile, Zimbabwe and Namibia will face off for the coveted gold medal on the same day, promising an exciting finale to the tournament.
