The Uganda Cricket Association-UCA has announced the appointment of Suraj Karavadra as the Lady Cricket Cranes Head Coach.
“We are delighted to announce the appointment of Suraj Karavadra as the Head Coach of the Lady Cricket Cranes. As an organization, it has been our mission to make sure that we raise the level of our ladies’ team to make sure that they are given the best opportunity to compete on the global stage. We are confident that Suraj will help take our ladies to the next level,” UCA said in statement.
The priority for the lady cricket cranes will be the T20 World Cup qualifiers due in September in Botswana and, the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. The team started training two months ago under the guidance of UCA Development Manager Davis Turinawe taking charge of the group in Kampala while Ivan Kakande took charge of the group in Soroti.
UCA’s CEO Martin Ondeko had this say about Suraj’s appointment; “We are happy to appoint Suraj for the position of Head Coach for the women. He has a lot of experience in working with women. He also has experience in working in different countries and we believe he has the right expertise to make the women’s team a force to reckon with.”
Suraj Karavadra brings a wealth of experience to Uganda Cricket having worked with various organizations in the same role. His experience will not only benefit the lady cricket cranes but influence the whole ecosystem for women’s cricket in Uganda.
Suraj is no stranger to Uganda. He is a fourth-generation Ugandan tracing his roots in the eastern town of Jinja where his great grandfather settled to do business. This is, therefore, more than an assignment for him rather than an opportunity for him to make a contribution to his motherland.
“I am very excited to be working with a group of very talented cricketers. My passion has always been for Women’s Cricket, helping them cross boundaries, become stronger, and reach new heights. I want the team to feel inspired, to push boundaries further than ever, and as a team, reach a whole new level of success. I can’t wait to get started, to get to know the team, to dive into the culture, to apply my knowledge and experience, and to continue the incredible legacy that The Lady Cricket Cranes have already created,” Suraj said.
He is expected to start his assignment next week when he arrives from his base in the UK.
Previous Experience:
2011: Porbandar District Cricket Association, India – U16 Head Coach
2013 – 2015: Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club – Community Cricket Coach Assisted EPP Programmes, U17 Nottinghamshire Girls, U14 Nottinghamshire Boys, and Sub- County U13.
2014: Porbandar District Cricket Association, India – Head Coach Men’s Team
2015-2017: Buckinghamshire Cricket Board – Cricket Development Officer. Coached throughout County Pathway (U11 – U17), Head Coach U15 Buckinghamshire Girls, Lead EPP Wicket Keeping.
2017-2020: ICC Academy, Dubai – High Performance and Development Coach. Coach throughout the Development Pathway and Performance Pathway, Created and led the Women and Girls Program, Led Masterclasses in Batting/Bowling/Fielding/ WK, Lecturer on the ICC Coach Education Courses and Wicket Keeping Modules. 1:1 Sessions with County players and International Players.
2018-2019 – UAE Cricket: Working with UAE Men’s, Women’s, U19, and Women’s development. UAE U19 Wicket Keeping Coach – Preparing Wicket Keepers for U19 Asia Cup.
2020 – Leicestershire County Cricket Club – Assistant Women’s Head Coach, Lead Coach on Batting and Fielding, Working with U18 Girls and Women’s Team.
