JACC, one of Uganda’s oldest and mightiest cricket club, grabbed a spot in the first division (UCA National Premier League) for the first time ever at Jinja SSS Cricket Oval, where they faced off against Soroti City cricket club, both eyeing that coveted promotion.
Soroti City won the toss and chose to field. JACC’s opening duo, Puwata Ronald and Oyaga Sadam, set a solid foundation, with Puwata slamming 63 runs off 69 balls. Despite some bumps in the middle order, a strong partnership between Muwanguzi Timothy, Kitamirike Marvin, and Baidu Ivan propelled JACC to a competitive total of 214.
When Soroti City took to the crease, JACC’s bowlers were relentless. Soroti’s hopes faded as wickets fell cheaply, with only a couple of players managing to make a dent in the chase. Ogwanga and Bakunzi Derrick tried to steady the ship, contributing 26 runs off 69 balls and 42 runs off 41 balls respectively. However, once the pair fell, only Ochen Peter managed to score double figures, ending Soroti City’s hopes of reaching the top flight league with his 32 runs off 34 balls.
In the end, Soroti City fell short, bowled out for 156, sealing JACC’s historic ascent to the first division. This victory, achieved undefeated after winning all their group games in the T20 format before playing Soroti City, marks a significant milestone for JACC, founded in 1987 through the fusion of Jinja Cricket Clubs and Masters Cricket Club.
JACC has also been a pool of cricket talents over the years as it has nurtured a number of players who have gone on to represent Uganda at the national level and the club is one of the eight full member clubs of Uganda Cricket Association.
