It was a must win game for Botswana who succumbed to Uganda on Thursday.
The win likely puts Botswana in the last four as Ghana posed a threat. Uganda are favourites to progress as group winners, leaving the fight for second place between Botswana and Ghana, while whipping boys, Mozambique stand no chance.
In yesterday’s match, Ghana won the toss and asked Botswana to bat first. Scoring was difficult early on a turning pitch, with opener, Reginald Nehonde out for 12, before the soft dismissal of Valentine Mbazo in the sixth over reduced Botswana to 38-2 Botswana.
Skipper, Karabo Motlhanka kept the innings glued together, despite the calamity at the opposite end. Mbazo went for a duck, while Vinoo Balakrishnan was run out when he slipped while attempting to get back to the crease.
Inzimamul Master then joined the captain in an attempt to stitch together the battered innings, with the score at 41 for 3. But the Ghanaian bowlers made life difficult as Botswana batters struggled for runs. Motlhanka’s resistance was broken when Kofi Bagabena found the edge, with the dreadlocked left hander out for a well played 30 off 28 balls. Botswana was in a spot of bother at 55-4 when Phemelo Silas and Master came together at the crease.
Silas was dropped on 11 off the bowling of Rexford Bakum and the youngster took full advantage.
The pair upped the ante and pushed the score past 100 without any further carnage. Master was eventually out, with a top score of 40 as he tried to accelerate the innings. Silas continued the onslaught, hoisting Obed Harvey for a glorious six in the 16th over as Botswana piled the runs.
He was finally out for 32 in 38th over but he had done enough damage.
Tshose chipped in with 15 before he fell to Daniel Anefie as Botswana amassed 146/9 in the 20 overs. With the pitch improving, Botswana opened the bowling with spinner, Mmoloki Mooketsi. However, Joseph Theodore found the boundary twice in the first four balls but Mooketsi recovered to clean the batsman.
After Ghana threatened in the first over, Thatayaone ‘Speedville’ Tshose and Mooketsi quickly applied the brakes. Ghana had their moments, but at 91-6 the contest was good as over.
However, there was a late wag in the Ghana tail, which made a thrilling end to the contest. However, the departure of Anefie who scored 33, saw Ghana’s hopes of an unlikely victory vanish, as they folded to 135 all out. Right arm leg spinner, Dhruv Maisuria returned match-winning figures of 5-18 to bowl Botswana to victory. He was named Man of the Match.
