The Sunday News
Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
THE Zimbabwe national women cricket team is geared up for the International Cricket Council World Cup qualifier which runs from 7 to 21 February in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Four teams from the Super Six stage will make it to the 50 over ICC Women’s World Cup 2017 to be staged in the United Kingdom from 26 June to 23 July. Zimbabwe have been drawn in Group A where they will square off against India, Sri Lanka, Ireland and Thailand. South Africa, Pakistan, Scotland and Papua New Guinea make up Group B.
A total of 10 teams are vying for the qualifying slots with Australia, England, New Zealand and West Indies having already booked their place at the main tournament via the 2014-16 ICC Women’s Championship.
Despite the team not playing much 50 overs cricket with even the African qualifiers held in Harare last year being a 20 over affair, coach Trevor Phiri has declared that his team is ready for the four teams they will face in Sri Lanka. Phiri said to him it does not matter which countries they are playing, what counts to him and his team is that they want to be at the World Cup.
He believes an optimistic approach is what counts in the matches they will play in Sri Lanka.
“We are ready for the challenge, we want to qualify, first of all we have to get into the Super Six, the top four teams go to the World Cup. It’s about avoiding mistakes in all aspects of the game, we are going to the World Cup. It’s all about the approach, it has to be positive for us to achieve our results. Our strength is in our bowling. Some of the players in form are Marrie- Anne Musonda who is at her peak in bowling and batting, Josephine Nkomo a seam bowler and Loreen Tshuma an all rounder.
They were outstanding in the matches we played in South Africa, we are expecting a lot from these three,’’ said Phiri.
On their gearing up for the qualifiers, Phiri said they managed to fine tune in South Africa and when they got home, they made use of the indoor facilities at the Country Club because of the rains.
Our preparations were great, it wasn’t raining in South Africa it was dry, back home even though it was raining we managed to make use of indoor facilities at the Country Club,’’ said Phiri.
The 42-year Bulawayo-based Phiri has been national team coach since January 2014 having assumed the role from another man from the same city, Mluleki Nkala.
Zimbabwe headed off to Sri Lanka on Thursday evening with a warm up match lined up for them against Scotland today at Colombo Cricket Club. The first group assignment for Zimbabwe is against Ireland on Tuesday at Mercantile Cricket Association with the second being on Friday when they meet Thailand at the same venue.
It gets tougher for the Sharne Mayers captained girls when they clash with Sri Lanka at Nondescripts Cricket Club before they take on India two days later at Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu Stadium.
In the build up to the qualifiers, Zimbabwe embarked on a tour to South Africa from 16-26 January. In the neighbouring country, they played five 50 over matches against Gauteng and Northerns where they recorded two wins, suffered the same number of defeats and secured one tie. The matches against Gauteng took place at Randburg Cricket Club while they played Northerns in Hammanskraal and Laudium.
Prior to that, Zimbabwe played six matches against Emerging South Africa in December, a tour made up of two Twenty20s as well as five 50 over fixtures at Harare Sports Club and Country Club.
Zimbabwe’s last attempt at qualifying for a global event was at the end of 2015 during the ICC Women’s World Twenty20 Qualifier in Thailand where they finished as the third best team at an event won by Ireland with Bangladesh second. Ireland and Bangladesh qualified for the ICC World Twenty20 held in India at the beginning of last year.
Not only will a top four finish guarantee the Zimbabwean girls a place at the World Cup but they will also be part of the ICC Women’s Championship which will see them play One Day International matches against the best teams in the global game.
That should serve as enough motivation for the girls from Zimbabwe to put up their best show in Sri Lanka.
Team: Sharne Mayers (captain), Precious Marange (vice-captain), Esther Mbofana, Pellagia Mujaji, Modester Mupachikwa (wicketkeeper), Marry-Anne Musonda, Nomatter Mutasa, Ashley Ndiraya, Josephine Nkomo, Nonhlanhla Nyathi (wicketkeeper), Loreen Tshuma, Tasmeen Granger, Nomvelo Sibanda, Anesu Mushangwe.
Head coach: Trevor Phiri
Assistant coach: Leonard Nhamburo
Team manager: Caroline Nyamande
Physiotherapist: Chido Pfumojena
