But for their uniform yellow vests the Uganda under-19 World Cup team could be confused for a local amateur football club. Kit bags of various shapes and sizes, players in different track suits and sneakers — and they are warming up for tomorrow’s Plate Championship quarter-final against Nepal with a game of football.That sums up Uganda cricket’s biggest problem: Sponsorship. And as coach Sam Walusimbi talks about the issue, the soccer game his wards are playing is stopped. While taking off his vest to celebrate his goal Henry-style, spinner Davis Arinaitwe tears the fabric.The coach breaks into a smile. ‘‘A local sports manufacturer gave us this gear at a big discount and as we talk our association is try to rope in a sponsor to take care of our air tickets,’’ he says.For a country of about 1,500 serious cricketers and a 12-club league, making it to World Cup is an achievement enough. That is evident as the animated bunch of skillful footballers, despite being out of tune at the cricket nets, are enjoying themselves in the oher ball game.Nothing in their mood suggests that this team that has suffered severe setbacks at Colombo. They’ve lost three matches by eight wickets, 171 runs and 122 runs but that’s forgotten as they get ready for battle on ‘‘a level playing field’’, as the coach puts it.‘‘We stand no chance against the Test-playing nations. We don’t have the exposure nor the money like other countries to prepare for the tournament,’’ Walusimbi says.Cricket in Uganda is a colonial legacy which the locals took control of post independence in 1962. But the exodus of Asians under Adi Amin’s rule in the 70s led to a lengthy break and it was only in the late 80s that the sport was revived.Their first global launch was at the 2002 under-19 World Cup — and that was a month before they got their first turf wicket in the country. The long-legged athletic players, so easy in stride — Uganda has given us several great track athletes — seem natural cricketers.But Walusimbi says it is tough to convince youngsters to take up cricket in a nation obsessed with football and boxing. Some are just part-timers like Patrick Ochan, who also plays Davis Cup tennis.Despite all that the African nation is keen to make rapid strides. ‘‘We have 30 schools that are cricket-active and about 6,000 children have signed for mini-cricket, a game played with a soft ball. And we have some big players coming to play league cricket in our country too,’’ he says.Then he gives the game away by naming one of them: ‘‘Atul Bedade came and played for us.’’It’s here one meets 14-year-old Emmanuel Nakaana and one finds out how, despite the torn vests and inferior kits, the World Cup will help Uganda. The youngest player in this World Cup, he’s just found out how the tough the game can be. In three matches, he’s scored just 9 runs.Yet his spirit is up, his enthusiasm undimmed. ‘‘I’ve met so many players, seen them play, learnt about field position. I can play two more under-19 World Cups and the next time I will come as a better player,’’ he says.
