Ocerian Cricketers Remain Upbeat Despite Losses…
- Mar 31
- 3 min read
Updated: Apr 1
To some people, the word "cricket" may sound like the word "karate." Because of this misleading phonetic similarity, a novice may be left with the impression that cricket is nothing but an arrangement in which players kick and punch one another. Strange as it may seem, this comparison is not entirely implausible. Just take a minute to follow a cricket game: the first thing you see is a set of heavily protected "players" carrying gear that is likely to intimidate a stranger. What kind of game is cricket, then? Well, Ocerians may have an answer.
Ocer has two cricket teams, one for boys and one for girls. In the course of the first term, the two teams had an opportunity to participate in a tournament organized at the district level. Unfortunately, the two teams were sent back home even before they could march far—but after they had tested the waters. What then is cricket to them?
Akao Raphealla Gorreti (S2, Blue), captain of the girls' cricket team who lost all their games, defines cricket as an outdoor game played by two teams, each with eleven players, using bats, a ball, and wickets. The definition may be too jargonized to make any sense, but cricket is not all about jargon and incomprehensibility. As Akao testifies, "Cricket has helped us to learn how to concentrate while engaged in activities; it has reinforced our passion for sports—especially our love for Cricket; and, finally, it has helped us remain fit and strong both in mind and body."
Akao's positive outlook is shared by Nyeki Kadugala (S2, Green), captain of the boys' cricket team. He, too, avers that "ever since we started playing cricket, we have gained a lot from it. It has become a hobby for us, and we really enjoy it because it is not, physically speaking, an injurious game."
Commenting on his last game against Gulu SS which saw them lose by 55 runs, Kadugala says, "When we played against Gulu SS, we improved tremendously; this has boosted our enthusiasm for the sport. All in all, we like the sport and pledge to climb higher." Kadugala takes positively his team's performance during the tournament, as they finished second in the Gulu City cricket division 2 table. As runners-up, they won medals and a trophy; these will awarded on April 5th.
Hoping to reach the boys' heights or even surpass them, Akao maintains an optimistic tone, hypothetically insisting that "if we practice regularly, at least three players from our school will feature in the national team by the end of next year." She is also upbeat that even within this year she will not be surprised to see some Ocerian players selected to train with the national team.
Despite this optimism, Akao admits that the way forward is not all rosy; there is still much to be done as hurdles lurk all around. Besides the manpower issue, "materials, such as the balls used during competitions, aren't available when training." These challenges notwithstanding, the team feels motivated by their coach's counsel: interest, talent, and skills are key factors that influence performance in sports. One does not need to be talented in order to participate in sports; with interest one can train and acquire the required technical and tactical skills. Hopeful that the future has much to offer, Akao concludes that "we shall become great players if we continue practicing hard; we are very hopeful that we shall eventually emerge victorious."
