Nile Leopards and Central Rhinos were unbeaten in the first round of the Batball X games played on Tuesday and Wednesday. The former, seeded in Group A played their round one games at Jinja SS Oval whilst the latter seeded in Group B played their games at Lugogo Cricket Oval in Kampala.
The next round of action known as the Super 4 stage will be happening at Lugogo. The bottom two teams went home as the top four stayed and will lock horns on Friday and Saturday in a round-robin format to determine the top two sides to face off in the final to be played on Sunday. Still on Sunday, a 3rd/4th position playoff will be played.
On Wednesday at Lugogo, eyes were on the second game of the day as Central Rhinos took on Rwanda emerging. The former posted 87 runs after they opened the batting but managed to win by just one run (87/5 in 10 overs against 86/7 in 10 overs).
Sowobi Yunusu was unbeaten on the crease as he helped Central Rhinos pile up runs. He managed a team high 29 runs that comprised of 1 four and 2 sixes.
Anas Baig (20 runs) and Ronald Omara (11 runs) were the other Central Rhinos players to post double figures.
For Rwanda Emerging, Yves Cyusa led the way with a game high 31 runs but he fell to Sowobi Yunusu. Daniel Gumyusenge (23 runs) and Isae Niyomugabo (18 runs) were the other players to post double figures.
Earlier in the day at Lugogo, Rwanda Emerging’s bowlers and fielders excelled, limiting Western Bulls to 49/6. In response, Rwanda Emerging chased down the target with 7 wickets to spare, clinching a convincing 7-wicket victory. They qualify for the next round of the competition after managing four points.
In the final game of the day in Kampala, Central Rhinos continued their impressive run, posting 99/4 in their 10 overs. The Western Bulls faced a challenging task in their chase and could only manage 64/10 in 7.5 overs. Central Rhinos secured a comfortable 35-run victory, further solidifying their position while Western Bulls packed their bags without a single victory in the championship. Central Rhinos who won all their games collected 8 points and make it to the Super 4 stage.
In Jinja, Eastern Buffaloes managed to set a target of 89 runs for the Northern Elephants. The Elephants’ chase saw determined efforts, but they fell short by 22 runs, as the Buffaloes’ bowlers kept them in check and secured the victory.
In another contest, Eastern Buffaloes posted 64/5 on the scoreboard. However, Nile Leopards showed their prowess with the bat, chasing down the target with 7.4 overs to spare and securing a convincing 7-wicket win.
Nile Leopards continued their dominant performance, setting a formidable total of 117/2. In response, the Northern Elephants could only manage 72/7, as Nile Leopards secured a 45-run victory and maintained their unbeaten streak.
For Group A, unbeaten Nile Leopards who collected 8 points and Eastern Buffaloes who got 4 points make it to the Super 4 stage while Northern Elephants who got no point exit the tournament.
Super 4 fixtures
Day 1- 18th August 2023
Nile Leopards Vs Central Rhinos
Eastern Buffaloes Vs Rwanda Emerging
Nile Leopards Vs Rwanda Emerging
Day 2- 19th August 2023
Eastern Buffaloes Vs Nile Leopards
Central Rhinos Vs Rwanda Emerging
Central Rhinos Vs Eastern buffaloes
