Eastern Storm come a cropper against Namibia

Namibia claimed a six-wicket victory against the Eastern Storm women at Willowmoore Park on July 6 to ensure their hosts ended the T20 series winless.

The series included the SA U19 women’s team and formed part of SA’s preparations for the ICC U19 T20 World Cup in Thailand and Malaysia, early next year.

After being set 90 runs to win, Yasneem Khan (39 off 35, including four boundaries) and Arrata Diergaardt (30 off 26, including three fours) made light work of the chase to help their team reach the target inside 16 overs.

Despite the early wickets of Mekelaye Mwatile, caught behind by keeper Tamzyn Hartman off seamer Tsholofelo Marema, Edelle van Zyl, bowled by Marema, and Mezerly Gorases, bowled by Makhotso Sesing, Khan and Diergaardt stitched together a 76 run stand for the fourth-wicket to take the game away from the hosts.

Diergaardt was dismissed by Thandeka Nkosi with the first ball of the 12th over, but it was too little too late as Bianca Manuel (9 off 12) and Khan took Namibia to 90/5, winning by six wickets with 29 balls to spare.

Earlier, the Storm’s innings got off to a disastrous start when opener Teagan Meyer was bowled for a duck by spinner Victoria Humunyela with the fifth ball of the first over.

Sabelo Jiyane (24 off 55) and Tenique Williams (11) stabilised the innings with a 56-run stand for the second wicket before William was trapped in front by Mwatile.

Jiyane followed when she was caught and bowled by Mwatile in the 15th over. Captain Hartman (17 off 24) tried to steady the ship, but wickets kept falling around her while the Namibian bowlers kept it clean with their length and accuracy.

Mwatile ended with three wickets for Namibia while Humunyela, Benjamin and Diergaardt got a single scalp each to restrict Eastern Storm to 89/5.

Namibia beat Eastern Storm in their other matches on July 2 and 4.

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