Ladies are African Champions

Kenya Ladies yesterday beat Uganda by 29 runs to complete their whitewash of the continental championship and take the title for the first time.

Losing the toss, Kenya were put into bat and got off to a cautious start. Margaret Banja (4) was the first casualty for Kenya with the scores on 16 and Kenya suffered a minor collapse as Maria Aimee (6) and Belinda Maska (2) followed in quick succession to have Kenya at 3/32. Perlyne Omamo once again provided the glue to stick the Kenyan innings together and remained unfazed by the loss of her partners. She steadily compiled her first ever international half century as wickets continued to fall at the other end.

By the time Omamo fell for her well earned 60, Kenya had made 119 and went on to set a target of 136 thanks to contributions from Ruth Mwahiki (12*), Sarah Bhakita (11) and of course the ever present extras (25). Omamo has twice carried the team with her batting this tournament and should be extremely proud to have reached this personal milestone.

Uganda's reply got off to a shaky start with Bhakita and Banja combining to have them in trouble at 17/3 before Christine Aryemo (15) and Stella Atim (21) combined for a 44 run partnership for the 4th wicket that brought Uganda right back into the game. Ruth Mwihaki ended the fightback when she trapped Aryemo in front and Uganda experienced a collapse of their own as 3 wickets fell for just 4 runs (6/64).

Kenya continued to apply the pressure and Mwihaki was rewarded with her third wicket when Aweko was caught by Aimee. Frankline Nanjjumba fought to the end with an unbeaten 27 to give the Ugandans hope but the return of Bhakita compounded the pressure as she picked up Esther Osikol caught and bowled before Mart Belle polished off the last 2 wickets to see Kenya safely home.

This is a fantastic result for the Kenyan women and is a fitting reward for the hard work they have put in under new coach Dun Okinyo. Credit too should go to Cricket Kenya and the NPCA who introduced them to the men's league and ensured that the team had the opportunity to play regularly against good opposition. Again the call must now be made to look at introducing a second ladies side to the competition to continue this growth. The players are both available and keen and have proved they are a valuable return on investment.

Ladies inch closer to continental title

Kenya ladies beat Tanzania by 2 wickets to take them a step closer to an elusive continental championship with one final match against Uganda remaining between them and an historic achievement.

Tanzania won the toss and batted much better than in the teams' first meeting scoring 150/8 in their allotted overs. Khajida Nasibu (45), Asha Daudi (27) and Mwanaidi Ibrahim (23) the best performers with the bat, though once again extras contributed a significant 25 runs to the score.
Mercyline Adhiambo (3/16) and Emily Ruto (2/13) were the pick of the Kenyan bowlers with Belind Maska, Ruth Mwihaki and Margaret Banja all chipping in with a wicket a-piece.

Kenya's reply was held together largely by Perlyne Omamo whose 43 formed the backbone of the innings as Ibrahim (2/26) and Daudi (4/33) caused all sorts of trouble. Maska (20) and Mary Belle (14) were the next biggest contributors for Kenya as the match swung both ways. Once again, it was extras that hurt and the 33 runs given away by Tanzania enabled Mwihaki and Aliya Bauer to inch Kenya home with 2 wickets and 2 and a half overs remaining.

another win for the upcoming team of Kenyan cricket, but like their male counterparts, perhaps a warning against complacency would be well heeded. Kenya are now one match away from winning the continental title for the first time, but will need to pull out a better performance against Uganda today if they are to finish unbeaten and take the title they so richly deserve.

Tanzania Ladies 150/8 (Nasibu 45, Daudi 27, Adhiambo 3/16, Ruto (2/13)
lost to
Kenya Ladies 151/8 (Omamo 43, Maska 20, Daudi 4/33, Ibrahim 2/26)
by 2 wickets

Kenya Ladies thump Tanzania in continental Championship

Great result for the Kenya Ladies team to record their second highest total along the way to giving Tanzania, the defending Champions, a belting in the opening match.
A full report can be read here.

Scorecard:

MATCH SUMMARY
MATCH:				Tanzania Women vs. Kenya Women																DATE(S):				15 Dec 2009
VENUE:				Sir Ali Muslim Club																TOSS WON BY:						Tanzania Women
CAPTAINS:					Monica Pascal															(Home)				Emily Ruto												(Opposition)
WICKETKEEPERS:								Prisca Leonard												(Home)				Maria Aimee												(Opposition)
UMPIRES:					Joshua Oyieko, Bernard Ouko															RESULT:				Kenya Women won by 93 runs
SCORERS:					Maxwell Otieno, Dun Okinyo
1ST INNINGS
BATTING TEAM:							Kenya Women																1st INNINGS
Batsman								How Out								Bowler							Runs			Mins			Balls			4's			6's			FOW
Perlyne Omamo								c Esther Wales								Khadija Nasibu							12			37			29			0			0			28 for 1
Margaret Banja								c Esther Wales								Khadija Nasibu							15			44			34			1			0			30 for 2
Maria Aimee (w)								not out															37			154			106			0			0
Belinda Maska								run out (Opponent 13)															11			36			35			0			0			52 for 3
Sarah Bhakita								c & b								Monica Pascal							39			61			57			3			0			124 for 4
Emily Ruto (c)								c Zakia Saguti								Zena Hassan							16			14			18			1			0			144 for 5
Mary Belle								c Mwanaidi Ibrahim								Monica Pascal							2			3			4			0			0			149 for 6
Mercyline Adhiambo								c Irene John								Monica Pascal							4			8			10			0			0			156 for 7
Aliya Baeur								run out (Opponent 13)															1			5			3			0			0			157 for 8
Ruth Mwihaki								not out															1			7			5			0			0
Maureen Mutunga								Did not bat															0			0			0			0			0
Extras								b:	0		lb:		2		nb:		2		w:		19		23			p:		0
																			TOTAL:				161				WKT:			8				Overs:			50.0
BATTING TEAM:							Tanzania Women																1st INNINGS
Batsman								How Out								Bowler							Runs			Mins			Balls			4's			6's			FOW
Asha Daudi								lbw								Mary Belle							5			8			11			0			0			6 for 1
Prisca Leonard (w)								run out (Player 13)															3			51			28			0			0			26 for 2
Monica Pascal (c)								c Aliya Baeur								Emily Ruto							16			42			37			1			0			31 for 3
Saida Hamisi								c Margaret Banja								Mercyline Adhiambo							1			3			4			0			0			31 for 4
Zakia Saguti								c & b								Perlyne Omamo							1			28			21			0			0			38 for 6
Khadija Nasibu								bowled								Emily Ruto							0			9			5			0			0			32 for 5
Irene John								bowled								Ruth Mwihaki							6			15			14			0			0			38 for 7
Mwanaidi Ibrahim								not out															21			37			32			1			0
Hawa Salum								bowled								Perlyne Omamo							0			3			5			0			0			39 for 8
Zena Hassan								c Sarah Bhakita								Perlyne Omamo							0			12			7			0			0			53 for 9
Esther Wales								st Maria Aimee								Sarah Bhakita							0			12			12			0			0			68 for 10
Extras								b:	0		lb:		0		nb:		0		w:		15		15			p:		0
																			TOTAL:				68				WKT:			10				Overs:			29.0
BOWLING TEAM:							Tanzania Women												1ST INNINGS		BOWLING TEAM:							Kenya Women												1ST INNINGS
Bowler								O		M		R		Wk		NB		Wd			Bowler								O		M		R		Wk		NB		Wd
Mwanaidi Ibrahim								10.0		1		26		0		0		2			Mary Belle								5.0		0		15		1		0		2
Khadija Nasibu								8.3		2		22		2		1		2			Belinda Maska								4.0		1		3		0		0		1
Hawa Salum								6.0		0		22		0		0		5			Mercyline Adhiambo								5.0		4		3		1		0		0
Zena Hassan								10.0		0		31		1		0		2			Margaret Banja								1.0		0		5		0		0		2
Esther Wales								3.0		0		14		0		0		0			Emily Ruto								4.0		0		12		2		0		1
Monica Pascal								9.0		0		25		3		0		3			Perlyne Omamo								5.0		1		14		3		0		5
Saida Hamisi								3.0		0		19		0		1		0			Ruth Mwihaki								3.0		1		10		1		0		0
																					Sarah Bhakita								2.0		0		6		1		0		4