Saturday November 29, which was Day 3 of the Batball X Jinja T10 burst into life at the Jinja SS Cricket Oval, serving up power hitting, tight bowling and the kind of drama fans have come to expect from this year’s tournament.
By stumps, the semi-final picture was clear, and one man stood above the rest, Christopher Kidega.
The Rhinos’ talisman delivered the innings of the competition, a fiery 73 off 37 balls that rescued his team and secured a crucial win over the Elephants.
His knock, packed with seven fours and three booming sixes, was the tournament’s highest score and set the Oval buzzing.
The Rhinos wobbled early after losing Mathias Ssentongo for 11 and Dan Rubangakene soon after, but Kidega steadied the innings with help from Ronald Omara and Ali Baliddawa. Together, they pushed the team to a strong 109 for 3.
With the ball, the Rhinos kept the pressure on. Pitty Daniel, Brain Kimaleni and Omara struck key blows, while Kidega added a wicket to cap a brilliant all round show.
Elephants opener Abraiz Ali Mir fought back with a lively 46, but the chase faded at 90 all out, lifting the Rhinos off the bottom of the table and into the knockouts with renewed confidence.
The Leopards, meanwhile, stayed unstoppable. They finished the group phase with a perfect four wins, crushing the Bulls by 47 runs and later easing past the Rhinos by six wickets, proof of the discipline and consistency that make them favourites for the title.
Elsewhere, the Elephants edged the Bulls by 15 runs, and the Rhinos beat the Elephants again by 19, results that sealed the much anticipated semi final lineup.
With the dust settled, the knockout battles are set, top seeded Leopards face the Bulls in Semi final 1, while the Elephants meet the resurgent Rhinos in Semi final 2. Winners advance to the grand final; losers play for third place.
Sunday November 30 Batball X fixtures – Semi finals & beyond
• Semi-Final 1: Leopards vs Bulls
• Semi-Final 2: Elephants vs Rhinos
• Third-Place Match: Semi-final losers
• Final: Semi-final winners
