Itanda Kayakers – 189/3 in 20
Bujagaali Rafters – 160/10 in 19.2 overs
The Itanda Kayakers beat Bujagaali by 29 runs in a final, to win the Men’s edition of the Waterfalls T20 League that climaxed on Sunday afternoon at the Lugogo Cricket Oval.
Ronald Lutaaya stars as Kayakers triumph Rafters in final at Lugogo Cricket Oval
Ronald Lutaaya stood out from the pack on Sunday with a century of 116 runs off 65 deliveries as his side -the Itanda Kayakers- beat the Bujagali Rafters by 29 runs to win the men’s edition of the 2023 Waterfalls T20 Elite League.
Lutaaya reached the century milestone with Six fours, and Nine Sixers to his name, making him the first player to score that many runs in the four-day tournament and in the end turn Tournament MVP.
The Aziz Damani and Under 19 cricketer shared joy with his mother who was in the stands to cheer him as he matched home with cash and prizes.
In the entertaining final, the Bujagaali Rafters won the toss and elected to bowl first hoping to stop the Kayakers at a score they could defend with ease but were stretched to a whole 189 for three, and finished 29 runs less -all out- in the second innings.
Kayakers Waseem Butt and Ronald Lutaaya opened their side’s batting, totaling 31 runs in three overs before their partnership was broken by a leg before wicket that sent Waseem off the crease.
Itanda’s Captain Riazat Ali Shah was late for the party coming on in the 15th over to effect 25 runs on the scoreboard as his Captain on the National Team Brian Masaba tallied 33 runs in 24 deliveries for the Bujagaali Rafters before being bowled out on the second ball after the 18th over.
The tournament featured three teams named after significant waterfalls in Uganda and these were the Sipi Trekkers, after the Sipi falls in Kapchorwa, Itanda Kayakers after the Itanda falls, and the Bujagaali rafters from the Bujagaali falls that are located in Jinja City.
The men’s event bowled off on Thursday -last week- at the Lugogo Cricket Oval three days after the ladies’ edition that was won by the Sipi Trekkers.
International players were invited from across the region, coming from as far as Botswana which was represented by their National Captain Karabo Mothlanka who featured for the Bujjagali Rafters, and Sami Sohail from Malawi who played for the Sipi Trekkers .
According to the organizers, the essence of having International cricketers feature at the event is to allow extension of the activity to a multi national one in the next editions.
