By Innocent Ndawula
If you are into motivational quotes, then you will concur that Henry Ford, the founder of Ford Motor Company, had people like Henry Osinde in mind when he said; “Some people succeed because they are destined to, but most people succeed because they are determined to.” Osinde has against all odds risen from a mediocre, who could not make Uganda’s playing squad consistently into an inspirational figure that opens the bowling for his adopted country Canada, and is rated as the fastest and most feared bowler among the Associates (read emerging nations).
Last Wednesday in Fatullah – Dhaka, when Canada stifled England but still went down by 16 runs in what was going to be a welcome shocker ahead of the 49-match, 43-day, 13-venue event, Osinde (2/42) was in the thick of the action dismissing mid-order hard hitting batsmen Michael Yardy for six and Luke Wright for a five-ball duck.
Keeping focused
“They went so hard at me. Kevin Pietersen came down the wicket and did a lot of stuff. But I just bowled hard,” said Osinde while admitting that K.P is the batsman he fears most.
And it’s no surprise that members of the Ugandan cricket fraternity were glued to their TV sets when Osinde steamed from 30 yards for the second over of the day against hosts Sri Lanka at the newly-built 35,000 capacity-seater Mahinda Rajapaksha International Cricket Stadium yesterday afternoon.
The 32-year-old will have surpassed legendary Sam Walusimbi and Presidential Advisor on Media John Nagenda as the first Ugandan to play in two International Cricket Council (ICC) Cricket World Cups – albeit for another country. Walusimbi and Nagenda played in the first-ever World Cup, hosted by England and won by West Indies, in 1975 as part of the combined East African team.
“I respect those two (Nagenda and Walusimbi) gentlemen. They are the real embodiment of cricket in Uganda and to go one better than what they did is a great honour for me,” Osinde told Daily Monitor last Thursday afternoon before the Canada team flew out of Chennai, India for Colombo, Sri Lanka to prepare for their opening game.
Canada are pooled in Group A alongside defending champions Australia, Pakistan, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe and Kenya with the top four countries progressing through to the quarterfinals of the global quadrennial showpiece.
This will be Canada’s fourth appearance and Osinde says they do not want to finish as also-rans but want to create some buzz.
“Our goal is to upset a test team. And beat Kenya and Zimbabwe. We came close against England. If everything goes according to plan, we should reach the quarters,” added the former Busoga College Mwiri captain.
“Apart from me, we have some talented guys in the squad who can win games for us. John Davison is very flamboyant, our captain Ashish Bagai is in the form of his life and Rizwan Cheema has the capability of tearing apart any bowling attack like he did in that losing knock of 93 against England,” he added.
More experienced
And when asked about his targets Osinde was much calmer. “I didn’t fare well on my World Cup debut in 2007 in West Indies. But that’s how life is. Sometimes you get smacked as a bowler but there are also good days,” he said while evoking memories of that game when former New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming pounded him all over the park.
“But I am going to take it one ball at a time this time round. When you think about a full over or 10-over spell, the pressure is insurmountable. But when you break it down into portions, it becomes less pressure. I have got a lot more experience over the years I will look to compete in every game and may be pick at least 10 wickets.”
In Toronto, Osinde cut his teeth at West Indians Cricket Club before moving on to Victoria Park and then Brampton Masters, where he has been since 2005 and spurred them to four national finals and two national titles. He has captained Masters for the last three years.
Stumbling blocks
The tall and athletic cricketer migrated to Canada in 2001 and made history in 2002 by becoming the first African to play in the Toronto & District Cricket Association Elite League.
He made his Canada debut against, of all teams, Uganda in the ICC Trophy in 2005 Ireland. But Osinde explains it has not been plain sailing.
“It was very, very hard. Yes, very hard. Word cannot explain what I went through. Hurdles and stumbling blocks were all over the place. I fought to my last breath because no one in this world knows his odds. And that is my advice to all youngsters out there.
“But I had prayers from my whole family in Uganda. Thank God I made it,” added the former captain of Nile Cricket Club in Ugandan competitions. Talking about home adds energy to Osinde’s voice, who is quick to confess. “I will retire with my last game for Nile. I am a Niler for life. I also miss my family in Uganda and my son Bryan Raul Osinde (4 years).”
His son stays with him in Toronto.