Team Uganda Off To New Zealand CWCQ

Team Uganda to the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier in New Zealand 2014 (CWCQ)

Uganda’s squad for this month’s ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier in New Zealand 2014 (CWCQ) was on January 1st flagged off by the National Council of Sports (NCS) General Secretary Jasper Aligawesa for the tourney that runs from January 13 to February 1, 2014.

Arthur Kyobe Uganda’s leading batsman across all codes this season was the biggest surprise exclusion when the 15-man team that will represent the nation left yesterday.

There was also no place for Charity’s dynamic pair of Henry Ssenyondo and Jonathan Ssebanja as well as Wanderers’ batsmen Arthur Ziraba and Hamu Kayondo.

But as the ignored players watched their colleagues depart, the quartet of Lawrence Ssematimba, Deus Muhumuza and Benjamin Musoke will be looking ahead to set the ground running in New Zealand after earning recalls alongside U-19 international Faruk Ochimi, who will be making his full senior debut.

Uganda have two warm up matches against UAE (Jan 10) and Canada (Jan 11) before the tournament proper starts.

The cricketers start with an epic clash against Netherlands on January 13, play PNG three days later before wrapping up with two duels against fellow Africans Kenya (Jan 19) and Namibia (Jan 21).

Coach Johan Rudolph’s men will be looking to qualify for their maiden Cricket World Cup. After finishing 10th in the ICC CWCQ 2001, 12th in 2005 and 10th in 2009, the team is aiming to create history in this edition of the CWCQ by reaching the final.

“We are determined and the boys are set. We have worked on our fitness and batting which were the major problems in our last outing,” Franko Nsubuga stated before departure yesterday.

Previously known as the ICC Trophy, the ICC CWCQ has, throughout the years, provided fans a unique brand of high voltage, exciting action as the competing sides give their all in a bid to qualify to cricket’s most prestigious event, the ICC Cricket World Cup.

The ICC Trophy was renamed the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier in 2009, and the nine editions of the tournament so far have produced seven different winners from the 31 teams that have competed.

The team: Davis Arinaitwe Karashani (cpt), Roger Mukasa, Benjamin Musoke, Frank Nsubuga, Lawrence Ssematimba, Charles Waiswa, Brian Masaba, Deus Muhumuza, Roger Mukasa, Philemon Selowa Mukobe, Abram Ndhlovu Mutyagaba, Patrick Ochan, Farouk Ochimi, Richard Gideon Okia, Raymond Otim, Almuzahim Hamza Saleh.