Uganda take title with comprehensive win

An emphatic opening partnership gave Uganda an upset victory over Namibia in the final in Kampala, after the visitors had won both their previous clashes in the tournament. Roger Mukasa (42) and Arthur Kyobe (34) put on 82 in 8.2 overs and the pace of their stand meant that despite four quick wickets, Uganda were way ahead of the asking rate. Frank Nsubuga and Benjamin Musoke ensured Uganda eased to the title in the 18th over with an unbroken 44-run partnership.

Namibia had got off to a similar start, when Louis van der Westhuizen - Player of the Tournament for his 406 runs and 14 wickets - and captain Craig Williams added 75 inside ten overs. Like Uganda, Namibia too suffered a middle-order collapse, but unlike the winners, they could never recover and kept losing wickets. Seamer Deusdedit Muhumza led the way for Uganda, picking up 3 for 26 to finish as the leading wicket-taker of the tournament with 18 victims from nine games. None of the Namibian batsmen apart from the openers made more than 15 as Brian Masaba and Davis Arinaitwe took two wickets each.

Both sides had already qualified for the ICC World Twenty20 2012 Global Qualifier, having taken the top two places in the points table. The performances taken into account for determining qualification excluded all matches involving Kenya, who were assured of qualification being an Associate/Affiliate ODI nation, irrespective of the results of this tournament.

Kenya, after having also lost both their games to Nigeria previously, finished on a high as a Nigeria batting collapse handed them victory by 23 runs in the third-place play-off. Ademola Onikoyi had given Nigeria a strong start in their chase of 163, putting on 43 with the steady Segun Olayinka. Offspinner Vinit Shikotra gave Kenya the breakthrough, trapping Olayinka leg-before, and his dismissal started a procession of wickets. Onikoyi tried to keep Nigeria in the hunt, hitting seven fours in his 53 off 39 deliveries. But left-arm spinner Raj Savala had him caught in a three-wicket burst which also included the wicket of Nigeria captain Endurance Ofem. Three run-outs rounded off a poor batting show and Nigeria ended on 139 for 9.

The Kenya middle order had earlier batted around a half-century from Irfan Karim - son of former Kenya captain Asif Karim - who remained unbeaten on 55 off 49 deliveries. Karim steadied the innings after the dismissal of the openers left Kenya at 37 for 2. They were able to eventually get to 162 due to a furious cameo from Harrison Angila, who smashed four sixes in making 27 off only seven deliveries. Kenya were also helped by the 16 wides that Nigeria bowled.