Cricket team benefit from Easter tourney

NELSON DIRENG
Correspondent | Friday April 17, 2009 00:00

Lenasia emerged the best team overall with a 100 percent record.

BCA official, Girish Ramakrishna told Mmegi Sport that the tournament was friendly but very competitive. 'It was an opportunity for our boys to play competitive cricket at home,' he said. Ramakrishna added that they learnt how to play as a unit and from interacting with the other teams during practice, Botswana players were able to improve their batting, bowling and fielding. 'This was the first time the Under-13 national team was involved in a competition of such magnitude. Both visiting teams played high quality cricket and even though we lost, our boys improved with every game. This was clear as we had a very close game with Oxfordshire on Monday, when we lost by 185 to 140 runs in a 40 overs game,' he said. Rashaad Mosweu and Thuso Motlogelwa of Botswana won emerging players of the tournament and spirit of the game awards respectively.

Oxfordshire which is managed by former Thornhill Primary School sports teacher, Andrew Martindale and Lenasia promised to return for the tournament next year when BCA expects more countries to participate.

The Botswana team is expected to play South Africa's Eastern Cricket Academy on May 1-3. 'I am sure the boys will do well in their upcoming games because to be a good cricket player, you have to be able to stay at the wicket as the level of your game progresses and this is what the boys were able to do throughout the competition,' he lamented.

Meanwhile, the Under-19 national team will be playing against South Africa's Laudium Cricket Club from tonight till Sunday. The first game will be 20 overs while the rest will be 50 overs. The team is preparing for the upcoming International Cricket Club (ICC) Under-19 World Cup qualifiers to be held in Zambia from April 27 till May 4. The countries that will take part in the competition are Kenya, Mozambique, Zambia, Botswana, Nigeria, Uganda, Namibia and Tanzania.