Report by Andrew Chappell (New Vision Uganda)

Back at the happy hunting grounds of Krugersdorp where Uganda so wonderfully beat Namibia, Uganda won the toss and elected to bat on a perfect looking track. Only one change was made in the side, Nandkishor coming in for the struggling Benjamin Musoke.

The pitch looked "dry and flat and even harder than our first match", according to coach Barney Mohamed. However, the Ugandan batsmen through a combination of impatience, hard luck, misjudgement, and expansiveness managed to squander their chances in this game. Wickets fell regularly, leaving batsmen no time to settle and form partnerships.

At 6 feet 8 inches, and shoe size of 15, Boyd Rankin is one of the tournament's biggest bowlers. He used his height and speed to great effect, and the Irish spinners bowled superbly to well-set aggressive fields.

After Kyobe fell to one that kept low, and Mukasa edged behind, Olweny and Nandi took their time, settling in and taking some good shots until just after drinks at the 15th over when Nandi got a little cute, trying to tuck one away and the ball just nicked the top bail.

Baig Akbar set off on quick run and was run out by a lovely direct hit from the Irish lad Cusack for only 3. Olweny looked fine until he was stumped on 40.

Kwebiha continued nicely, and he was truly the one bright batting spot today, when it all started to fall apart as first Kamyuka went, then Franco played right back to the bowler who took any easy catch. Ssemanda came in and was clean bowled off the spinner's tricky ball. A theatrical leave by Davis allowed him to be clean bowled by the eventual man-of-the-match White for his 4th wicket and career best figures of 4/22.

No sooner had Junior's 50 come up (Well done, Captain!) when he too went edging behind to O'Brien leaving Uganda all out 155 in the 45th over.

Overall Ireland played a very tight game, with very good fielding. The bowling line was excellent and field placings good.

Uganda, not heeding the lesson, bowled without enough purpose, there were too many loose balls and without a high target there was no pressure on Ireland who batted comfortably, easily showing why they are ranked just on the verge of the world top ten.

Their batsmen seemed to have so much time to play the ball and, though small breakthroughs came, the end was never in doubt.

Tomorrow Uganda will take to the nets "and look to correct our errors and impatience", asserted manager Justine Ligyalingi. And further, they will "try to put back some of their enthusiasm", said physio Andrew Meya. It was all too evident that to team looked a little flat and unfocused.

In the end, off two massive sixes into an appreciative South African crowd at the lovely KHOSA cricket club, Ireland won easily and Uganda were taught a bit of a lesson in cricket basics. Time to recharge.

Report by Ian Callender

Ireland are safely through to the Super Eight stage of the World Cup Qualifying tournament in South Africa. A comprehensive six wickets victory over Uganda ensured a convincing passage for the tournament favourites to the business end of the tournament which starts in a week's time.

With emphatic victories over chief rivals Scotland and Oman on successive days, the first three games could not have gone any better for William Porterfield’s side and this win highlighted the gulf in class between the No 1 Associate and the 12th place qualifier.

Winning the toss and electing to bat, Uganda were bowled out for 155, with only three players reaching double figures and Ireland knocked off the runs in just 31 overs, sealed by a half century from Gary Wilson - his third in six matches on this tour.

The Ireland bowling hero was Andrew White who didn’t even make the starting line-up in the seven wickets hammering of the Scots on the opening day, but in the last two matches he has shown the all-round talent which won him his 125th cap.

Against Oman he hit 71 not out and the Ugandans had no answer to his slow bowling as he finished with his Ireland best figures of four for 22. Given the Pavilion End, from which Regan West took five wickets on Thursday, he immediately found the perfect line an d length and the last four batsmen had no a nswer as the20innings ended almost six overs early.

It was another bad day for the seam bowlers although National Coach Phil Simmons had forecast such difficulties when he left out Peter Connell and instead played Andre Botha, still carrying his injured ankle, as a specialist batsman.

Alex Cusack was Connell’s surprise replacement with the new ball but he proved the best of the pace men and after making the first breakthrough with his fourth ball, conceded just 15 runs in his six overs. Boyd Rankin finished with two wickets but he will not look forward to returning here on Saturday - Ireland‘s destination if they top their group - and Kevin O’Brien and Trent Johnston averaged more than five runs an over before the spinners put the brakes on Uganda’s encouraging start.

William Porterfield and Gary Wilson had six overs to bat before lunch and, with the captain again leading from the front (25 off 13 balls), they raced to 35 without loss.

Porterfield’s innings was halted in the 12th over by the off spinner Frank Nsubuga and Eoin Morgan was also bowled, on the back foot, for just 13.

Wilson and Niall O’Brien maintained the momentum but the players were so keen to finish the game in style that both Wilson and Andre Botha each hit sixes and then promptly got out next ball. It was left to Kevin O’Brien to show them how to do it, his second-ball six winning the match. Next up it's the clash of the last two unbeaten teams, Ireland v Canada at Willowmoore Park, Benoni on Monday.