Namibia white washed

The Zimbabwe women’s cricket team wrapped up their Namibian tour in style after posting a 5-0 whitewash of the hosts Namibia in the Namib Desert Women T20 Challenge at the Sparta United Club in Walvis Bay.

The Zimbabweans dominated the series from the first game, were on top again as they dismantling the Namibians for only 60 runs after 20 over’s with Nomatter Muasa who took four wickets for nine runs.
The Namibians won the toss and went in to bat first but their innings never got going after losing opener and one of their best players of the series Adrian van der Merwe for a golden duck with Sune Wittann (21) and Kayleen Green (12) the highest scorers for the hosts as they were the only two players who managed double digit scores against the Zimbabwe bowling.
Zimbabwe needed only 9.3 over’s to overturn the target with Precious Marange capped a good day in the office with crunchy performances with the bat as she helped her team race to victory with an unbeaten 32 runs from only 31 deliveries.
The wicket of Modester Mupachikwa was the only wicket lost as she was caught off the bowling of Namibia’s only wicket taker Namusha Shiomwenyo for four runs.
The Namibian team coach Christopher Coombe said “We lost the series but is was a great learning curve and measuring for our young ladies”.

Coombe added that there is hard work ahead for the Namibian team before the International Cricket Council T20 World Cup Africa Qualifier to be held in Harare in May and that he believes that Namibians women’s cricket has a great future.
Coombe also thanked Zimbabwe for their visit and the good cricket they played and Cricket Namibia for the opportunity that was given to the ladies to play against one of the best teams in Africa and Peter Kirsten for his help.

The Director of Women’s Cricket in Namibia Hester Khan said that the Namib Desert Women T20 Challenge series was a great experience for the Namibian team as they prepare for the T20 World Cup Africa Qualifier.
“We at Namibia Women’s Cricket would like to thank the Zimbabwean cricket board as well as Cricket Namibia for making this historic series at the coast a reality. Thanks to the management and staff of Sparta United Club, the empires and all the sponsors for what you did for this tournament” Khan added.
South African retired cricketer Peter Kirsten who was a special guest at the tournament said that both teams played good cricket but the Namibian ladies are still young and that there future looks promising.
The Zimbabwean captain Mary-Anne Musonda said that “Credit goes to the ladies, they were well prepared and confident going into the series. They each played to the team’s plan and quickly adjusted to the conditions.
They delivered 80% of the times.”
“There are some positives we can take from this tour as a team heading into the regional T20 qualifiers. Firstly, we need to stick to the team plan, put big scores on the board if we bat first and to win games regardless of the toss result,” she said.
“We have put specific targets and plans in place to help us regain complete confidence in our game after the near misses in the past. We are hopeful that this time we can go all the way to qualify for the World Cup” Musonda added.
The series results;

1. Zimbabwe won by 6 wickets
2. Zimbabwe won by 8 wickets
3. Zimbabwe won by 57 runs
4. Zimbabwe won by 69 run
5. Zimbabwe won by 9 wickets