Uganda needed to avoid a boundary on the final ball to win a second trophy in the space of two weeks.
The Victoria Pearls overcame a slow start in the finals of the Capricorn Eagles Quadrangular Series to beat Namibia by 3 runs.
Namibia got off to a good start at the United Cricket Grounds as they made sure Uganda scored only 5 runs in the first five Overs.
They went on to pick a wicket of Kevin Awino inside Power Play. Uganda needed Janet Mbabazi’s introduction to settle.
Her partnership with Proscovia Alako gave the Pearls a combined 32 runs score before the pair went for an early shower in the 12th Over.
The responsibility was now handed to Stephanie Nampiina who walked in at number 4 and Immaculate Nakisuyi.
This partnership was another that gave the Capricorn Eagles a headache as it recorded 31 runs.
Nampiina was caught in the 16th Over with 22 runs, but Nakisuyi went on to complete the innings and in so doing put on board 26 runs, the most by any Ugandan batter.
In the chase, Namibia got their business in their innings to a good start, scoring 27 runs inside Power play, and needing 67 runs from 84 balls.
Even after the four wickets fell, the final was for Namibia to lose, with 43 runs needed in 8 Overs (48balls).
In the 13th Over when Mbabazi walked into the attack to bowl her third Over things got pretty tight for the hosts.
Mbabazi suffered just one run in that Over, and the score read 42 from 42, this had Namibia fail to utilize its advantage.
By the time Nampiina went on to bowl the final over, it was reading 13 off 6. Very achievable it was, Uganda held their nerves.
Namibia conceded a four runs boundary and a midfield saw two more runs picked hence taking the game to the wire.
Any boundary off the last ball was a win for Namibia but Nampiina delivered a beauty to deny them a single run.
Following the calmness in the final over and good batting of 22 runs, Nampiina was rewarded with the Player of the Match award.
Wilka Mwatile was named the Player of the Tournament after garnering 786 points. Nampiina finished fourth in the ranking, the best-positioned Ugandan.
By: Rose Agwang
