Weekend Round-Up: Soroti City shine as Wanderers and Tornado Bees split results

The Cricket Uganda Women’s Division One National League delivered an entertaining weekend of action as the two teams played four games, continuing their battle for places in the knockout stages.

Soroti City strengthened their grip in the standings with another flawless weekend, Wanderers and Tornado Bees shared the spoils in their double-header, while Jinja SSS were left searching for answers after suffering two defeats on home soil.

The headline clash came in Jinja, where table leaders Soroti City completed a commanding double over Jinja SSS.

In Saturday morning’s encounter, Soroti piled on an imposing 165/4, built around a magnificent 76 off 53 balls from captain Janet Mbabazi and 39 from Jimia Abdallah Muhammed. Jinja’s chase never gathered momentum despite a quickfire 38 from Stephanie Nampina, eventually falling short on 108/6 to hand Soroti a comprehensive 57-run victory. Sarah Tino and Ritah Alio led the bowling attack with two wickets apiece. 

The afternoon fixture proved far tighter. After Jinja posted 98/7, thanks largely to another impressive innings from Nampina, who struck 57, Soroti calmly hunted down the target in just 16.2 overs to seal a five-wicket victory. Mercy Kongai’s 22 and Joyce Mary Arugo’s unbeaten 19 guided the chase after an early wobble, completing a perfect weekend for the league leaders.

 Meanwhile, at the Akbar Baig Cricket Ground, Wanderers and Tornado Bees shared one win each in a fiercely contested derby.

Wanderers claimed the opening match by 30 runs after posting 100/4 in a rain-shortened 16-over contest. Mary Namiiro produced the standout performance with an unbeaten 51 from 41 deliveries, well supported by captain Shadia Giligish Nabulime’s composed 33. Namiiro then completed a memorable all-round display by taking two wickets as Tornado Bees were restricted to just 70/5. 

Tornado Bees responded in the second meeting. Wanderers again batted first and managed 102/9, with Sonia Nampeera contributing 22 while Rashida Kulusum’s disciplined bowling display helped restrict the innings. Chasing 103, Kulusum anchored the innings superbly with 47 before Sandra Acwao guided the Bees home with seven wickets in hand and four balls remaining to ensure the honours were even between the two sides.

After six games each, the standings remain delicately poised. Soroti City sit second on the table with 10 points from five wins and just one defeat, putting themselves in a commanding position ahead of the final stretch of the group stage. Jinja SSS sit third with 6 points, having won three and lost three matches.

Wanderers and Tornado Bees occupy fourth and fifth, respectively, each on 2 points after recording one victory and five defeats. Despite sitting in the lower half of the table, both teams still have four group-stage matches remaining, leaving plenty of cricket to play before the race for the semi-finals and ultimately the league final is decided.

The post Weekend Round-Up: Soroti City shine as Wanderers and Tornado Bees split results appeared first on Kawowo Sports.