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 end 8 year drought in style

Yesterday Kenya Ladies played a team that they had never beaten in eight years of trying and not just beat them but completely outplayed them.

Winning the toss, Uganda chose to bat but ran straight into trouble as they lost two early wickets - Anna Kisakye run out for 2 and Barbara Mukankusi bowled by Mary Belle for 4. Kenya's Ladies kept a tight line and the discipline paid off with the Ugandans frustrated at being unable to score going for more suicidal runs, chances that the Kenyans gleefully accepted. Mary Belle (3/22) continued to reap the rewards of the pressure created by Belinda Maska (8-5-4-1) as she picked up two more wickets to have Uganda well and truly on the ropes at 21/6 after 15 overs.

A rally of sorts was then carried out by Christine Aryemo (14) and Consy Aweko (13*) who added 26 for the next wicket, but the run rate was still painfully slow and Kenya still well and truly in control of the game. Again it was a run out that triggered a Ugandan collapse, though this time the bowler to benefit was Sarah Bhakita who cleaned up the tail taking 3/5 off 5.4 overs.
Uganda finished on 71 all out after 38.4 overs.

Kenya lost opener Perlyne Omamo to Stella Atim with just 4 on the board, but from then on the reply was held together by sensible batting from Margaret Banja (47*) and Mary Aimee (15*) who saw the hosts home for an historic victory.

It may have taken 8 years, but Kenya's Ladies are proving under the stewardship of Dun Okinyo and their inclusion in the NPCA leagues that they are a growing force. If there was ever a result that begged for Cricket Kenya or the NPCA to consider a second ladies team in that competition, this surely is it. Congratulations to the Kenyan ladies on such a fine milestone, may it be the first of many more!

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

Kenya Ladies Juniors off to Tanzania

Cricket Kenya has named National Ladies Junior side for the inaugural Africa Junior Championships that was due to get underway on Sunday in Dar Salaam, Tanzania.

Emily Ruto will lead the 13 woman squad which also includes Ruth Mwihaki, Pearlyne Omamo and Maria Aimee all of whom have international experience.

The three alongside Ruto are members of the national senior team and are expected to offer experience in the side that is full of uncapped players.

The team leaves the country today for the tournament that will also include Rwanda, Uganda , Zambia and hosts Tanzania .

Kenya opens their campaign against Uganda in a 30 overs match at Anadil Burhani before taking on the hosts the following day.

On 24th November, the team will play Rwanda before winding up their campaign against Zambia two days later.

It will be the first time Zambia will be taking part an international tournament while Rwanda will be making their second appearance in international arena.

Ruto said she is confident the team will do well despite having a large number of inexperienced players in the side. “It will be a big tournament for and the other three experienced players in the side. We will have to ensure that we give our best so that the new players learn from us and get confidence,” she said.

Omamo who is currently enjoying a good form with the bat in the ongoing Nairobi Provincial Cricket Association (NPCA) league is expected to lead the team’s batting according to the captain.

“She is in a good form and I hope she will carry her form to Tanzania. If she does that then I am full of confidence we will emerge victorious. However Mwihaki and Aimee are also capable of doing well too and I also hope they do well,” she said.

Mwihaki is enjoying a good form too with 65 runs in two matches in the league.

The team has been training at Ruaraka Sports Club under Dun Okinyo and has held various trial matches which also involved players from Nakuru working under Cricket Kenya Development Programme.

Ruth Ambiyo who started playing cricket early this year in Nakuru has also been selected same to Mildred Sambu and Cecilia Ouko from St.Teresa’s Girls and Kenya High respectively.

Others in the team are Faith Kingi, Sylvia Wairimu, Evelyne Kavata, Honorina Wali, Eunice Nekesa and Evelyne Achieng.

Report taken from Cricket Kenya website. Great to see the development program in Nakuru bearing fruit. Good luck to the girls - hope they can upset Uganda and Tanzania and come back winners!

Kenya Ladies record historic first league win

Kenya Women’s XI registered their first victory in the Nairobi Provincial Cricket Association League with a win over hosts Oshwal on Sunday. A brilliant batting display by Perlyne Omamo and good bowling spells from Belinda Maska and Mercyline Adhiambo contributed heavily to the Women XI first win since being incorporated in the league last year to play the men’s sides.
The three gave the side what they had been yearning for and led their team to 19 runs win in the match played at Highride Primary School grounds.

Omamo batted the entire inning - 49 overs and managed to score her maiden half century as the Women XI put on 155 runs -their highest score in the league. She put on a 15 runs opening stand with Sarah Bhakita (2) before Bhakita was caught off Jay Nagda. Margaret Banja (8) added 38 with Omamo to get the scores to 53 before a third wicket stand with Maska added nine. Dun Okinyo, the team coach, scored a quick 25 and ensured the Women XI got their first hundred of the season. Okinyo’s departure- bowled by Hitesh Ngoa paved way to Emily Ruto who added 9 as Women XI surged on to their biggest total so far in the league.

Adhiambo (0), Peris Adhiambo (0), Mary Belle (3) lost their wickets in quick succession before Sylvia followed on with the third duck of the inning. Their previous score in the league last year was 132 against the same side. Omamo’s 50 not out included five boundaries.
Omamo's half century was the third for the Women team after the unbeaten 187 and 86 by Bhakita and Ruto respectively in their record win over Rwanda last year in the East and Central Africa Women Championships.

Josphat Irungu was the toast of Oshwal bowling with three wickets for 17 runs as the innings came to an end with an over to play.

Irungu started the chase with a bang putting on 32 runs in three overs but that came to a halt when he edged to Bhakita off Maska. Bhakita keeping wicket in the absense of Aimee Maria then stumped Hiten Jakhari with the total on 51 for two before Ruto held a low catch at deep mid wicket to get out danger man Nagda for 15 giving Maska her third wicket. While Maska was getting the wickets, Adhiambo was beating the batters with her swing and she was rewarded when she clean bowled captain Mitesh Dephia for nine with the score on 82.

Okinyo got the fifth wicket when Mehul Ghala was caught by Ruth Mwihaki for naught with 69 runs needed for victory. Adhiambo got her second and biggest wicket in her seventh over when she had Mehul Gala caught by Okinyo for naught with scores on 92. Okinyo added the seventh wicket before Mwihaki got two more wickets including tapping Pradeep Patel on 17. Ketul Gudka (21) and Dhiren Bid put on a 20 run stand for the last wicket before Bhakita stumped Gudka for 21 to the jubilation of the team.

Captain Emily Ruto attributed the win to hard work on the field and ability to follow the laid game plan.

“The initial idea was for us to bat all the overs. This worked out well and as a result we were able to get a defendable score. When it came to bowling the plan was again bowl on the stump and let them make the mistake. They made the mistake and we carried the day,”

“Omamo’s inning was actually something that we will remember every time we talk about the win and it was also good for her as she has realized she can bat well on a good day. Her presence in the crease made us strong and I believe if we continue working like this we will be a better team by the end of the season,” she said.

The team's next match is against leaders Parklands and Ruto said the plan will not change.

“Why change?. We will not do anything different from what we did today. It will be for them to change their plans not us. Our plans will be to bowl on the stumps and try and bat all the overs,” she said.