Entebbe (Uganda), Nov 8 (Xinhua) Italy and Hong Kong, China registered wins in the ongoing International Cricket Council (ICC) Cricket World Cup Challenge B tournament in Uganda.
Captained by Marcus Campopiano, Italy defeated Tanzania by nine wickets using the Duckworth Lewis Stern (DLS) method in a match played at the Entebbe Cricket Oval on Thursday.
Tanzania elected to bat first in the rain-affected match and put up 173 runs in 43.4 overs, while Italy chased with 169/1 in only 28.4 overs. Tanzania’s Mukesh Maker scored 50 runs, while Mohamed Omary added 36 runs.
Italy’s Emilio Gay, who was also voted Player of the Match, scored 96 runs not out, while team captain Campopiano added 41 runs. “We are very happy to start the tournament with a win. We will handle every match with caution,” said Campopiano.
In the second match, which kept spectators on their toes, Hong Kong of China saw off Bahrain by three wickets at the Lugogo Cricket Oval in Kampala.
Bahrain batted first to put up 200/9 in 46.0 overs, while Team HK chased and scored 201/7 in 44.5 overs. Babar Hayat was in good form, scoring 103 runs for Team HK, while Martin Coetzee was the team’s second-highest scorer with 34 runs.
For Bahrain, Asuf Ali and Ahmer Bin Nasir scored 51 and 49 runs, respectively. “It has been a bad start for us because we lost the opening match. We now have to improve in the upcoming matches,” said Bahrain’s captain Haider Butt.
The host, Uganda, which defeated Singapore in its opening match on Wednesday, will return to action on Saturday against Tanzania, the same day Hong Kong of China faces Italy.
The Challenge League B tournament, which will end on November 16, is a critical pathway to the 2027 ICC Cricket World Cup.
