The future of cricket in Uganda strolls unsecured following a rejection by the National Council of Sports, for the league to utilize the Lugogo Cricket Oval.
The Oval meant to host cricket games for both the men’s and women’s top tier leagues will cease to do so according to a letter addressed to the Uganda Cricket Association from the Council.
In the letter dated 19th July 2022, NCS rounded up a summary of dates to indicate the venue was booked for events coming up later in the year, with most of them being local and international music concerts.
Still in the letter, NCS noted that the venue will be available to cricket for only national team events, an offer that could be retracted as they assumed desirable to reschedule.
The announcement comes at a time when the men’s league is expected to carry on, and the women’s league, eyeing a fresh start.
“This development affects our national leagues both men and women, we were more halfway through the men’s league and due to start the ladies league so this takes us back.”
“The ladies league is played on Saturday and the men play on Sunday and these are usually the days also the ground is used for the shows so ultimately means we need to squeeze the games on other grounds.” UCA’s Communications Manager told Afrosports
The inability to access the Oval means the national cricket league will combat drawbacks while organizing and as well risk a late climax.
“We could have finished the league by October but this means it will take us a lot more time”. He emphasized.
The cricket administration and lovers of the sport feel they deserve better treatment from the council, being the country’s governing body of sports that bears the mandate to prioritize sports and not their greed for money.
NCS however commented that the facility is a government facility that has many pre-booked events taking place from time to time and advised the UCA to share an activity calendar for the year 2023 by the close of September, for easy planning.
Amidst the tension, the men’s national team is in preparation for the third round of the ICC world cup challenge League B due in August, in Jersey.
The team is currently having its training done at the Lakeside Oval in Entebbe and will depart for Jersey on Friday.
