Senior cricket team set for first trial game

In a bid to start early preps ahead of this year’s ICC/ACA World Cricket League Div 3 tournament in Malawi, Rwanda Cricket Association (RCA) has organised a 50-over trail game for the provisional national team this Sunday. The game that will be played at Kicukiro pits two select sides captained by Srinath Vardhineni and Eric Dusingizimana respectively. Although Rwanda has made steady progress since 2004 when she made her debut appearance, RCA wants more from the team this time round. “Last year, we were so close to making the final but some how, we blew our chance so this year, we want to go that extra mile,” RCA’s new Secretary General Alex Tumuhimbise said. In 2004, Rwanda finished seventh out of eight teams. In 2006, she finished sixth before breaking into the top four last year. Since 2004, the event has been biannual but starting this year, the event is going to be annual. “ICC recently increased its funding for Affiliate countries so it also feels that there is need to have more tournaments at this level,” RCA’s president Charles Haba revealed recently. The Affiliates tournament is set for June and pits Rwanda with Mozambique, Ghana, Morocco, Sierra Leone, Swaziland, Gambia, Lesotho, and hosts Malawi. Team A: S. Vardhineni, A. Kayitera, E. Mutuyimana, J. Ishimwe, A. Byiringiro, J. Mehboob, J. Mbaraga, G. Krishnan, K. Sairum, C. Mwijanda, P. Sameer Team B: E. Dusingizimana, J. Mohammed, E. Byiringiro, S. Subashish, J. Tuyishimire, E. Dusabemungu, D. Bayingana, R.Thakkar, P. Rizwan, S. Praveen, K. Shijith Ends