Kenya ladies clash with Uganda: Women's team out for a second win as Kenya's men seek third victory when they face KwaZulu-Natal at Kimberley today

NAIROBI PROVINCE CRICKET ASSOCIATION LEAGUE Stray Impala's Wicket Keeper Sharon Juma wait for a delivery missed by Kenya Ladies' Batswoman Margaret Banja during their Nairobi Provincial Cricket Association T20 League 2015/2016 season at Premiere Cricket Club in Nairobi on Sunday, Jan 24, 2016. PHOTO: JONAH ONYANGO/STANDARD.

Cricket  Women's team out for a second win as Kenya's men seek third victory when they face KwaZulu-Natal

Kenya ladies clash with Uganda

Good weekend for Kenya as men's national team notch a second win on the trot in Africa T20 Cup in South Africa.

Elizabeth Mburugu

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Having successfully launched their quest for a ticket to next year’s International Cricket Council (ICC) Women Twenty20 World Cup Qualifiers with a two-wicket win over Tanzania, the Kenyan girls will today face their perennial rivals Uganda.

The East Africa neighbours will take their battle to Wanderers Cricket Grounds in Windhoek, Namibia as the ICC Africa Women’s T20 World Cup qualifiers enter Day Three.

The Kenyans will be out  for their second win with hope that the gods of cricket will be on their side once again and grant them victory over the lady Cricket Cranes.

In their last encounter, Kenya beat Uganda by two wickets in the semi-finals of International Women’s T20 Cup in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.

The Kenyans survived an early scare that saw dependable Mary Wambui run out on a golden duck by Perice Mamunya on ball three of Kenya’s innings.

However, skipper Margret Banja’s introduction revived Kenya’s hopes as she settled in well to score 25 runs off 19 balls. Experience was key as Banja hit five boundaries to help Kenya inch closer to the required 88 runs.

Her second wicket partnership with Queentor Abel stood firm and at the time of Banja’s dismissal, Kenya was on the path to victory with the score at 41 for the loss of three wickets in the seventh over.

Abel had scored 13 off 17 before her stay at the crease was cut short as she got caught by Fatuma Kibasu.

In spite of an unstable middle order, veteran Sarah Bhakita’s 21 off 20 moved Kenya closer to victory.

Bhakita’s know-how put Kenya in good stead and even though Zinaida Finkili set her up to be caught by Shufaa Mohamed in the 15th over, Kenya had one hand on their first win as the score stood at 78 for the loss of seven. Venesa Ooko (4) and Ruth Achando six (not out) finished the job for Kenya.

Kibasu was brilliant for Tanzania with the ball, taking two wickets for 16. Finkili, Monica Pascal and Nuru Tindo took a wicket each. Kibasu was undoubtedly woman of the match as she also starred with the bat scoring unbeaten 48 from 62 deliveries.

In another encounter, Uganda beat hosts Namibia by 21 runs.

It has been a good weekend or Kenyan cricket as the men's team also won two matches on the trot in the Africa T20 Cup tournament in South Africa.

On Friday, skipper Rakep Patel led the men’s national team to a 4-wicket win over Free State to launch their Africa T20 Cup chase on a high at the De Beers Diamond Oval, Kimberley, South Africa. Chasing Free States’ 147/7, Rakep was superb with the bat scoring 74 off 44 while old hand Collins Obuya hit 43 off 29 to steer Kenya to the win.

Yesterday at Kimberley, Rakep played a skipper's innings of 72 off 47 to lead Kenya to a 5-wicket win over Northern Cape who had scored 148 for the loss of five.