Cricket Cranes suffered yet another loss that came in form of a devastating 73-run defeat to Namibia on Thursday at the ongoing Castle Lite Series in Windhoek.
After losing Simon Ssesazi and Henry Senyondo who returned home for the burial of their mother, and Juma Miyaji to injury, Laurence Mahatlane was forced to field a none playing team member on Thursday.
It was former Cricket Cranes opening bowler, Charles Waiswa, currently the team manager who took the field, and Uganda were once again downed.
Captain Brian Masaba once again won the toss, and he once again opted to field. It was a good start for Uganda who had no 12th man as Dinesh Nakrani bowled a maiden in the first Over.
But in spite of both Masaba and Alpesh Ramjani picking two wickets each along the innings, there was no denying Namibia a score they felt comfortable to defend.
Namibia who lost four wickets set the target at 196, and a depleted Uganda was unable to chase.
Ronald Lutaya and Robinson Obuya opened the batting for Uganda, but Lutaya who knocked a half century of 54 on Wednesday was run out inside the second Over having managed only 2 runs.
Obuya who was playing his first game against Namibia stayed on, but he did not live to see the seventh Over as he was bowled out inside it with 22 runs. Ramjani (20) followed almost immediately, before the Namibian captain Gerhard Erasmus notched his hat-trick.
Erasmus who scored 34 runs for his team picked the wickets of Kenneth Waiswa, Masaba and wicketkeeper Cyrus Kakuru in a succession. Both Masaba and Kakuru were ducked while Waiswa registered 26 runs.
Charles Waiswa on his forced return to action managed three runs from four balls before he was bowled by the Namibian skipper as Uganda were bowled out with five balls to spare.
Uganda lost this Series 2-1 last year. It currently stands at 2-0, Uganda having lost both the opening two games. There’s still chance for the Cricket Cranes to recover, and draw the Series as two more games are left of play.
The two teams take a break on Friday and will return to action on Saturday with one of the remaining two T20 games.
