BCA sends strong squad to Tanzania tourney

Teichler Rankoa | Sunday December 8, 2013 20:50

BCA chief executive officer Girish Ramakrishna says the team that left on Wednesday is ready and strong enough to hold its own against other competing countries – Kenya, Uganda, Mozambique, Rwanda and Tanzania.

The team is making its third appearance at the championships after first qualifying in 2011. It came second last year. Ramakrishna observed that the involvement showed by the cricket players and administrators had immensely contributed to the development of the sport in the country.

He said he appreciated the BCA for managing to secure and maintain sponsorship for tournaments over the years, something that has helped to prepare the national sides, including the Under- 13 side. Team Botswana has been in camp for the last two weeks in an attempt to intensify their warm-up for the big stage.

“We made it play against the men’s senior team to measure their strength, and after the games we were convinced that it would do well,” added Ramakrishna.

Team captain Shamelaah Mosweu said she was happy with the preparations ahead of the tournament, promising that they would fight hard to fly the national flag high.

“We want to win this time; we are tired of coming second,” said Mosweu. The team of 14 players led by Mpho Kotu (manager), Innocent Chando (coach) and Musa Galerekwe (game development manager) is expected back home on December 11.

Meanwhile, the Under-13 girls’ cricket squad that is in Namibia played as follows: Match one - Botswana 110 runs Limpopo (Pretoria) 58 runs, match 2 - Botswana 33 Northerns A (Pretoria) 34 runs, match three – Botswana 82 runs Northern B (Gauteng) 66 runs, match four­ – Botswana 166 runs 166 Boland (Cape Town) 51 runs.