NAMIBIA’s national cricket team, the Capricorn Eagles got off to a winning start at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Africa qualifier when they scraped home by four runs against Uganda yesterday.
In the Group B match that ebbed and flowed throughout, Namibia scored 105 for four wickets off their 20 overs, while Uganda fell just short of the target, reaching 101 for seven wickets in reply.
After being sent in to bat, Namibia got off to a terrible start when both openers, Adri van der Merwe and Sune Wittmann were dismissed for ducks with only one run on the board.
Yasmeen Khan and Kayleen Green put them back on track with a fine third-wicket partnership of 46 runs before Khan was dismissed for 25, but Green continued to lead the revival, sharing a fourth-wicket stand of 53 runs with captain Irene van Zyl.
Van Zyl was dismissed for 15, but Green remained unbeaten on 54 off 49 balls (1×6, 7×4) as Namibia reached 105 for four wickets off their 20 overs.
For Uganda, Irene Alumo, Consylate Namungu, Stephani Nampiina and Evelyn Anyipo each took one wicket.
In Uganda’s innings, Wilka Mwatile made an early breakthrough, bowling Racheal Ntono for one, and when Sylvia Shihepo bowled Rita Musamali for nine, Uganda were struggling at 13 for two wickets.
Namibia maintained the pressure with Prosscovia Alako being run out for eight, but Immaculate Nakisuuyi and Esther Iloku revived Uganda’s hopes with a 39-run partnership.
Irene van Zyl, however, made the breakthrough, bowling Nakisuuyi for 36 off 31 balls (5×4), and when Sune Wittmann bowled Iloku for 22, the match was delicately poised with Uganda still needing 19 runs for victory off 17 balls.
Namibia, however, gained the upper hand when Wittmann bowled Janet Mbabazi for three and with Nampiina being run out for 11, Uganda could only reach 101 for seven wickets off their 20 overs, to hand Namibia a narrow four-run victory.
Wittmann was Namibia’s best bowler, taking two wickets for 11 runs, while Mwatile, Shihepo and Van Zyl each took one wicket.
Kayleen Green won the player of the match award for her fine knock of 54 not out.
In a Group A match yesterday, Rwanda got off to a strong start after beating Mozambique by 10 wickets.
Mozambique were bundled out for a mere 17 runs, while Rwanda reached the target without loss and off only 2,1 overs.
Namibia’s next match is against Nigeria, starting at 14h30 this afternoon.