Last season’s National Men’s 50 Over League second runner-up, Kutchi Tigers, begin their 2024 league campaign against Patidar on Sunday at the Green Oval in Entebbe in the only Div one game this weekend.
The Tigers were one of a handful of teams that tried to challenge eventual champions Aziz Damani Development to the trophy last year.
They racked up 10 points from a possible 18, losing just three games, but one of those losses was against their Sunday opponent. That ‘defeat’ came in an unclear circumstances as Kutchi Tigers forfeited the game.
The odds were for the Tigers to comfortably win that game, but with them not turning up, it handed Patidar the maximum points which was what they needed to wane any worries of relegation.
The two now meet on Sunday with nothing certain as the league is in it’s early days, but with their performance last year, and with both the Aziz Damani clubs (the other two teams that Kutchi Tigers lost to last season) out of the competition, the Tigers will feel they’re the team to beat this campaign
Challengers who finished fifth, just two points behind Kutchi are also not participating. The Tigers will back themselves to run away with the league this season.
If they approach the game with that mindset, Patidar will have a long one on Sunday.
Ceylon Lion, the other favourite to lift the trophy this season bowled off the new season with a convincing 9-wicket win against league returnees Tornado Bee last weekend.
They currently lead the table with a healthy 4.0 net run rate, but Kutchi Tigers with an unlabored win on Sunday can dislodge them.
Division two, otherwise known as the Championship T20 League, will see Soroti City bowl off their season against Buddo and Avengers over the weekend.
Avengers, one of the two teams that was demoted last year got their Championship campaign to a brilliant start last weekend with a superior display against Buddo, winning by 8 wickets and by 7 wickets against the same side last weekend.
They made their intentions of an immediate return to top flight clear and will want to continue their perfect start against Soroti City on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Buddo who lost both games on the opening weekend, will want to bounce back but Soroti will also want to get something out of their opening weekend.
These two sides avoided each other last season as Soroti forfeited the game.
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