- Wanderers 209 all out in 39 overs ( Perry Wazombe 59, Vamsi Krishna 58)
- Rounders 184 all out in 45.1 overs ( Narinder Singh 48, Calvin Watuwa 35)
- Wanderers won by 25 runs
It took five matches and a debutant’s spark of brilliance, but Wanderers Cricket Club finally broke their winless streak, registering their first victory of the season with a nerve-wracking 25-run triumph over arch-rivals Rounders at Lugogo Cricket Oval.
At the heart of this much-needed win was Vamsi Krishna, the newest face in Uganda’s Cricket Cranes setup, making an immediate impact in his first outing for Wanderers. His composed knock of 58 not only steadied the innings when it wobbled but also gave Wanderers the edge in a match that swung like a pendulum until the very end.
Wanderers, whose squad had looked depleted in previous weeks, came into this fixture under pressure not just from the weight of four straight losses, but also the whispers that they might struggle to field a full playing eleven. Those doubts were quickly silenced.
Winning the toss and electing to bat, openers Wassim Butt and Perry Wazombe set the tone early. Butt looked solid for his 26 before he was caught at long on by Rounders captain Brian Masaba in the ninth over.
Wazombe, however, blazed to a rapid 59 off just 39 balls, showcasing intent and skill. But once he was dismissed by Daudi Mwesigwa, the innings began to show signs of fragility.
Coming in at a precarious moment, Krishna had a stroke of fortune early dropped on 6 by Jonathan Nyiro but capitalized with calmness and purpose. His 58 was not flashy but vital, holding the innings together as wickets tumbled around him.
His dismissal, however, triggered a collapse. From 187/5, Wanderers lost their final five wickets for just 22 runs, folding for 209 in 39 overs.
Still, it was a total they could work with, and the Wanderers’ bowling unit responded with disciplined aggression.
Rounders, who had looked confident coming into the match, found themselves under pressure early in the chase.
Reagan Puwata, one of their most reliable batsmen this season, mistimed a pull shot and was caught cheaply for 8.
Narinder Singh’s steady 48 offered hope, anchoring the innings and guiding Rounders to 55/2 by the end of the powerplay.
But as the innings progressed, pressure told. Calvin Watuwa threw away his wicket with a loose shot and when Narinder eventually fell, Wanderers saw a window and they burst through it.
Despite a late rally, Rounders’ innings unravelled. With just 33 runs needed and one wicket in hand, Anorld Tembo tried to turn hero, but his attempted six ended in a catch at the deep boundary, sealing Rounders’ fate at 184 all out.
While the win does little to shift Wanderers off the bottom of the table, it represents a vital psychological breakthrough. The energy was different, the belief was visible, and Krishna’s debut has clearly added depth to their roster.
Wanderers will now hope to build on this momentum when they take on Avengers in their next fixture.
Rounders, meanwhile, will look to bounce back quickly as they gear up for the Jinja Derby clash against JACC.
