Kaduna State defiles the odds to emerge winners of the bilateral series against Uganda selected side. The four match series ended in a stalemate with both sides winning 2 matches each but Kaduna emerging as champions with overall Net Run Rate.
Match 1: FORMAT: 20 OVERS
Kaduna team won the toss and chose to field sending in Uganda selected side to bat. Uganda side scored a total of 199 runs for the loss of 8 wickets on 20 overs.
In the second innings, Kaduna team could only manage 93 runs for the loss of 6 wickets in 20 overs
Jimoh Abdurahman was the only spark for Kaduna scoring 30 runs off 30 balls as the best performer for his team.
Uganda Side won by 106 runs.
Match 2: FORMAT: 50 OVERS
Kaduna State bounced back from day 1 defeat to present a brilliant performance after winning the toss and elected to bat first scoring a total of 167 runs for the loss of 8 wickets in 50 overs.
In the second innings, Uganda selected side could only manage 137 runs all out in 41. 1 overs to gift team Kaduna the game.
Kaduna team won by 30 runs.
Onikoyi Ademola produced the knock of match with an impressive 37 runs off 36 balls strongly supported by the u-19 hopeful, Agbo David with 33 runs off 62 balls.
Back from injury, Isaac Okpe picked up 3 vital wickets to get things rolling for Kaduna State in the second innings. Danladi Isaac and Sylvester Okpe were ended with 2 wickets respectively
Match 3: FORMAT: 50 OVERS
Kaduna team won the toss and chose to bat first, probably still relishing from the previous day victory, slipped to a low score of 97 runs all out in 39.5 overs.
In the second innings, Uganda selected side made light work of the run chase scoring 97 runs for the loss of 2 wickets in 13.3 overs.
Captain Daniel Gim scored 41 runs off 92 balls as the best performer with the bat for team Kaduna.
Uganda team won by 8 wickets.
Final Match: FORMAT: 20 OVERS
With the series poised at 2-1 in favor of the home team, Team Kaduna needed to make a statement in order to keep their heads high.
Kaduna team won the toss and chose to bat first scoring an unbelievable total of 79 runs for the loss of 6 wickets in 20 overs.
In the second overs, the never say die attitude of team Kaduna came into full swing as the battled over by over and eventually restricted the Uganda selected side to a 78 runs all out in 19.1 overs
Arguably the biggest upset of the four games regardless of the low score but the most enjoyable with fans and spectators on the edge of their seats for most of the innings.
Opening Batsman Yusuf Gashon, showed some brilliance with the bat as he stabilized the team with 34 runs off 41 balls.
Jimoh Abdurahman and Isaac Okpe were not left behind as they got the team 3 wickets each.
Team Kaduna won by 1 run to level the series at 2-2 but won on overall net run rate.
Highlights of the tour was the presentation of winners medal and trophy to the Kaduna State team
The Nigeria High commission in Uganda were very pleased when team Kaduna paid a courtesy visit, the Kaduna team were hosted to a dinner where the commission assured of the support from the Federal Government for whatever team may tour Uganda in the near future
All work and no play becomes a sad tale but that wasn’t to be for the Kaduna State team as they made valuable time on the rest day to Lake Victoria and also the source of the historic River Nile.
Kaduna State returned home on the 24th of July 2019 to a resounding welcome by the Nigeria Cricket Federation with a visit to the Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-rufai already scheduled.