RAIN AFFECTED TOUR DRAWN; SSENYONDO BAGS MAN OF SERIES |
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| Iqbal Choudry (UgandaCricketNationalLeagueAdmin) | |
| 04/04/2018 | |
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American author John Steinbeck said “One can find many pains when the rain is falling”; non more agonizing than missing out on a series decider. For the fourth game of the series, the rain dictated proceedings as the decider with the tally at one game apiece between Uganda and Saudi Cricket washed out at Kyambogo Oval. The slight dull drizzle was consistent and left some patches of the wicket wet with some areas of bowlers run ups unfit for play. With Saudi Arabia preparing for the Asia T20 qualifiers in two weeks and Uganda set for the World Cricket League division 4 qualifiers in Kualar, Lumpur Malaysia in three weeks, it was a well thought out decision by umpires John Trust Mayekhu and Eric Wandera. Spoils shared on the wet outfield it was quickly to finding the man who had the biggest impact on the series. Four players vied for this in points ranking; Muhammad Afzal and opener Moazam Shaukat from Saudi Cricket together with left arm spinner Henry Ssenyondo and leg spinner Irfan Muhammad from Uganda. Irfan Afridi; 340 points The spin wizard of the series conjured figures worthy of a travelling magician’s abilities. 17 overs that went for a miserly 32 runs picking five wickets, he was unreadable and wily as a fox on the hunt. His discipline over the two games he played meant he did not get his lines wrong in 102 deliveries for the series erring once by inches to gift the opposition with a no ball. Moazam Shaukat; 366 points 3 inns, 94 runs off 106 balls with 7 sixes and 7 fours. He was unfortunate to have scored a half century in the penultimate game of the series that was washed out. A classy player who favours the sweeper and taking on long on when the ball is within range, he entertained the Lugogo crowd with a showpiece worth being remembered in the series. Muhammad Afzal; 378 points The Cricket Saudi captain with his maverick field sets and dauntless batting when under attack was another high point of the series. 61 runs off 97 balls and 11 overs, 27 runs with five scalps and only one wide, he wore his intrepid heart on his sleeve throughout the series; setting attacking fields with well seamless bowling changes. He put his mark on Game 1 for the sharp shoulder high catch in his crouching position at close in gully position to take Henry Ssenyondo’s flying edge off the bowling of Ihsan Ullah at Kyambogo Oval that broke the stubborn partnership with Brian Masaba that threatened to bring Uganda back into the game. Henry Ssenyondo: 451 points The left arm spinner was the player of series. He generated drift and dip as well as he has probably ever done over the last two months. Henry struggled with his line in Qatar and India erring on the short side and was consistently cut and pulled. He put all that to bed with a player of series performance against Saudi cricket; 27 overs, 95 runs, 6 wickets at 3.51 for the series earned him the reward. He picked the dangerous looking Sajeed Imran, the stubborn Zeeshan Butt and big hitter Imran Arif early in the first ODI, accounted for well set the Inayat Saeed and Imran Arif in the failed Saudi Cricket run chase in game 2 and captured the prized wicket of Muhammad Afzal in game 3. Coach Steve Tikolo will be satisfied with his spin arsenal’s performance in the series and working to carry the form to Malaysia for the qualifiers. |
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