On a weekend where rain tried to steal the show, it was the newcomers who made the loudest noise. JACC, playing their first-ever match in Uganda’s top cricket division, showed no signs of nerves as they outclassed Rounders by 44 runs in a damp but spirited Jinja derby.
While the weather wiped out most of the weekend’s matches, it couldn’t stop JACC from making a statement. Playing at the Jinja SS Oval in a match cut to 26 overs per side, the debutants brought fresh energy and a fearless attitude. They batted first and put up a fighting total of 125 runs. Paul Mulongo led the way with 34, while Eddie Agaba and captain Kenneth Waiswa chipped in with scores in the 20s.
Rounders, who were only added to the league after Patidar’s withdrawal, couldn’t find answers with the bat. JACC’s bowlers were on fire Sadam Oyaga and Aloysius Odoi picked three wickets each, while Waiswa and Agaba cleaned up the rest. Rounders simply couldn’t match the intensity of their rivals.
Over in the other match that beat the rain, Aboojo also made their presence felt. In a low-scoring affair, they defeated Tornado Bees by 4 wickets. Spinner Joseph Baguma turned the game with his tight bowling, giving away just 8 runs in four overs and taking two key wickets including that of Anas Baig, the Bees’ top scorer with 20.
Cyrus Kibukamusoke’s 3 wickets gave Tornado Bees a flicker of hope, but their 88-run total was never enough. Aboojo calmly chased it down, with contributions from skipper Innocent Mwebaze and Brian Asaba.
At Lugogo, Wanderers and Avengers were forced to share points after their match was abandoned without a toss. The same happened in Kamengo, where Ceylon Lions and Kutchi Tigers also shared points due to the washout.
