The Cricket Uganda 50 Overs season returns this Saturday, February 28, launching a campaign that will run for six months across four venues.
This season introduces a new three-tier structure, Gold, Silver and Bronze with teams competing in a round robin format.
The changes bring fresh urgency, with promotion hopes and rebuilding plans shaping the early storylines.
The action begins in the Silver Group, formerly Division Two. With Lakeside Oval in Entebbe unavailable, Lugogo Cricket Oval hosts one of the headline fixtures as Nile Cricket Club face St John’s Mukono.
Nile CC start with unfinished business. After narrowly missing out on Gold status, they have lost key players Ronald Lutaaya, Suleiman Mwebaze and Robinson Turinawe to top tier sides chasing places in the national Cricket Cranes set up.
To steady the squad, Nile have signed Rwanda’s Chris Yusuf Namuhoranye and retained Yves Cyusa. The pair’s experience will be vital as the club pushes for promotion.
St John’s Mukono arrive with a youthful, student based squad. Guided by head coach Baraka Saad, they will rely on discipline and energy as they seek a strong opening performance.
At Serenity Oval in Kamengo, Wanderers meet Soroti City in a clash of transition and stability.
Relegated last season, Wanderers have reshaped their squad, releasing more than ten players as they begin a youth focused rebuild.
Promising talents Julius Okema and Edward Mugwanya are central to their long-term vision.
Soroti City, by contrast, have kept much of last season’s core. They finished third in Group A of last year’s UCA Men’s 50 Overs League Championship, winning four of six matches and posting an impressive net run rate of +1.0147, narrowly missing a top two finish.
Their campaign featured strong wins over Jinja SS CC, KC Budo CC and Patidar CC, including a commanding 271-run victory against Entale.
Despite a Duckworth-Lewis loss to Kutchi Tigers B and a forfeited match against Nile CC, they showed consistency.
This season, Soroti aim to build on that foundation, competing strongly while giving development players more exposure.
With continuity on their side, they enter their first ever meeting with Wanderers confident, while Wanderers will be eager to signal intent in their new division.
Centurion face Mukono Development at Florida Oval, while Centurion A take on Iganga in another Silver Group clash.
In Jinja, the anticipated fixture between Jinja SSS and Premier at the Jinja SSS Oval has been called off, and Jinja SSS have been awarded a walkover but delayed the region’s season opener.
