Four Wickets, a Rescue Knock and the Match Award — Katlo Piet Did Everything but Win It for Botswana

It is not often that the Player of the Match award goes to a man on the losing side. On Wednesday at the Gahanga International Cricket Stadium, Katlo Piet earned it anyway: 20 not out from 17 balls with the bat, then 4 for 24 with the ball.

Uganda won the toss, chose to field, and had Botswana 74 for 6 in the thirteenth over. Botlhe Keganne (42) and Piet added 40 for the seventh wicket to reach 119 for 8. Uganda were cruising at 68 for 1 in reply until Piet took three wickets for seven runs and left them 75 for 4.

That was as close as Botswana got. Uganda finished on 125 for 5 in 15 overs to win by five wickets with 30 balls remaining.

Uganda's bowling did its work in two bursts. Monroux Kasselman went to the first ball of the match, and when Cosmas Kyewuta removed Valentine Mbazo and Phemelo Silas off consecutive deliveries, Botswana were 19 for 3 in the fourth over. Then, after Vinoo Balakrishnan and Keganne had added 49, Joseph Baguma took three wickets for six runs between 68 and 74. Kyewuta (4-0-26-3) and Baguma (4-0-20-3) shared six of the eight.

The chase needed barely any fuss. Robinson Obuya (32 from 22, five fours) and Charles Musemez (39 from 25, three sixes) put on 53 for the second wicket, and Uganda were 68 for 1 before that stand was broken on the last ball of the seventh over.

Then Piet took three wickets in 12 balls, and at 75 for 4 Uganda still needed 45. Olipa Gerald hit 19 from eight balls, two of them sixes, before falling at 103 in the eleventh over, and captain Riazat Ali Shah (17*) and Kenneth Waiswa (13*) finished it with an unbroken 22.

Botswana's innings was two useful stands and not much else. Vinoo Balakrishnan hit 36 from 28 with two sixes, and with Botlhe Keganne added 49 for the fourth wicket after the early mess. Once Balakrishnan fell in the eleventh over, three wickets went for six runs.

Keganne kept going, and his 42 from 47 balls was the top score of the match. He and Piet added 40 for the seventh wicket from 74 for 6. That took Botswana to 119 for 8. Uganda passed it with five overs to spare.

With the ball, only Piet and Balakrishnan (4-0-25-0) held Uganda under seven an over. The other four bowlers went for 76 from seven overs. Botswana now have one win from six games.

Katlo Piet walked in at 74 for 6 and was still there at the end with 20 not out from 17, with a four and a six. Then he bowled four overs for 24 in an innings where Uganda scored at more than eight an over.

His four wickets were the first four to fall. He bowled Fahad Mutagana in the second over. He got Obuya lbw and had Musemez caught by Silas, so both of Uganda's top scorers went to him. Then he took a return catch to remove Ronald Lutaaya. At 75 for 4 in the ninth over, Uganda still needed 45.

Uganda had too much batting left for it to last. But when a player on the losing side gets the match award, it tells you how much of the fight was his.

This match didn't have a CricIntel preview, so there is no prediction to grade. For context, Uganda came into it off an eight-wicket win over Sierra Leone the previous day with 78 balls to spare. This one got shaky for a couple of overs, but they still won with 30 balls to spare.

After both September 16 matches, the table reads: Kenya P6 W6, 12 points (NRR +3.477); Uganda P6 W5, 10 points (+3.762); Rwanda P7 W4, 8 points (+1.233); Botswana P6 W1, 2 points (-2.615); Sierra Leone P7 W0, 0 points (-5.021).

Uganda have two league games left, on back-to-back days: Rwanda on Thursday, September 17, and unbeaten Kenya on Friday, September 18. Kenya v Uganda is the match between the top two, and it comes the day before the final on September 19.

Botswana also play twice: Kenya on September 17 and Sierra Leone on September 18. That last game is between the bottom two, and it is Botswana's best chance of a second win.