South Africa’s U19 women’s team claimed a clean sweep victory over Namibia’s U19s after a 136 runs win on the second day of their four-match T20 series at Willowmoore Park on July 14.
This got their ICC U19 Women’s World Cup preparations off to a rolling start.
After winning the toss and electing to bat, openers Miane Smit and Karabo Meso put in a 59-run partnership before Smit was sent back to the shed on 20 by Victoria Hamunyela.
Meso’s contribution of 66 from 52 balls laid a solid foundation for South Africa. It paved the way for Diara Ramlakan and Kayla Reyneke to go on the offence with Reyneke making a quick-fire 23 from nine balls. Ramlakan finished on 28 not out.
Oluhle Siyo contributed 11 runs while Anica Swart and Jemma Botha made 2 and 4 respectively. Jenna Evans came in at number eight to score 17 off five balls to finish-off the innings.
Alice Kaukungwa and Mekelaye Mwatile were the peak of the bowlers for Namibia, grabbing two scalps apiece while Saima Tuhandeleni and Hamunyela both got one wicket each.
The Namibian bowlers’ cause was blighted by their failure to maintain their lines and lengths. They contributed 18 extras to take South Africa’s total of 189.
Needing 190 to win, it was difficult against the hosts’ seam attack that was assisted by efficient leg spinners.
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The South African bowlers bowled tightly and with great discipline, frustrating the batters and inviting them into making inappropriate shots.
Things got off to the worst start for the visitors when they lost two wickets in the third over. Estelle van der Merwe was trapped LBW by seamer Refilwe Moncho who also grabbed the wicket of Mekelaye Mwatile three balls later, sending the Namibian back to the shed for a duck.
In the fourth over, leg spinner Sisanda Ngubane trapped Mezerly Igorases LBW, to leave Namibia at 6/3. Namibia also had to grind for their runs as South Africa’s impeccable fielding restricted them to singles.
Edelle van Zyl offered resistance for the visitors with a couple of good shots but she had no one supporting her as wickets kept falling at regular intervals. Maria Ngaluli was bowled by Mona Lisa Legodi in the fifth over.
Van Zyl and Kaylee van Wyk’s partnership of 19 provided some respite for the visitors but Madison Landsman killed their momentum after getting the wicket of van Wyk in the ninth over.
The spinner bowled beautifully and with her second ball she persuaded van Wyk to hole out to long on.
Nthabiseng Nini then grabbed the wicket of Naomi Benjamin to leave the visitors in trouble at 50-6
Namibia lost four wickets without a run, with Reyneke taking two wickets without conceding a single run. Legodi took another wicket to end on two and Nini grabbed two more scalps to finish on three for the day and Namibia were dismissed for 53 all out.
In the second match of the day, they beat the Eastern Storm, Lions and Titans XI, by four wickets to cap off a good day. The South Africans were unbeaten in the series.
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