The 2024 National Men’s 50 Over League bowls off on Saturday (today) with Ceylon Lions against Tornado Bee who earned promotion to top flight last year as Division two winners the first game on the menu.
The two will face off at Lugogo Cricket Oval at 10:00AM, but while the latter get life back in the league started, giants Aziz Damani will not be among the competing teams.
Damani – the five time league winners have pulled out of the league citing ‘unfavourable fixture schedule’.
All the four Damani sides including Aziz Damani Development– winners of the league last year, Aziz Damani Ismaily who earned promotion to top flight last year and their Women’s side Aziz Damani will all not engage in any league action this season.
In that regard, the Men’s division will not have a defending champion as a competitor. It also means that the league will have a different winner that’s not Damani for the first time in seven years.
Ceylon Lions will feel they have the chance to set the pace, and perhaps contend for the the title as they get to open the season against a returnee.
Other weekend fixture
Wanderers against Nyakasura will be the other league game on the opening weekend. Both sides survived relegation by a whisker last year, but they get their campaign started on Sunday at the same ground.
Both will be hoping to get their season running on a good note as they seek to avoid the situation they were in last year.
Wanderers will be without their captain Davis Karashani who was instrumental last year as they avoided relegation. The former Cricket Cranes captain announced his retirement from cricket a fortnight ago.
There will also be two fixtures on the card in Div two on the opening weekend. Jinja SS will take on JAAC on Saturday at the Jinja Cricket Oval while Avengers (who were one of the teams that were demoted from Div 1 last year) will face Budo at Buddo grounds on Sunday.
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