A superb half-century from Yasmeen Khan, backed up by Mekelaye Mwatile’s impressive four-wicket haul, guided Namibia to a seven-wicket victory over the CSA Women’s Emerging Academy on Sunday at the High Performance Oval in Windhoek, concluding the four-match T20 series 2-2.
Mwatile returned figures of four for 19 as the hosts bowled out the visitors for 89 runs. Khan led the reply with an unbeaten 54* off 36 balls, hitting 10 fours and one six, to ensure the chase was completed with 33 balls to spare.
Having lost the toss, the Emerging Academy were put in to bat. Openers Jenna Evans (33) and Simoné Lourens (13) made a promising start, putting on 37 runs in the first five overs before M. Mwatile struck twice in three balls in the sixth over to dismiss Lourens and new batter Eliz-Mari Marx (0).
Sylvia Shihepo (3/15) added further pressure in the very next over, bowling Kayla Reyneke (1) to reduce the visitors to 44/3 by the end of the seventh.
Evans tried to stabilise the innings, forming a brief 20-run stand with Delmi Tucker (10), but her dismissal to Wilka Mwatile (2/10) left the score on 60/4 halfway through the innings. Shihepo struck again in quick succession, trapping both Oluhle Siyo (0) and Tucker LBW in the same over.
Captain Jones (6) and Luyanda Nzuza (10) momentarily resisted, but Namibia’s bowlers maintained the pressure. The South Africans were kept at bay on 77/6 by the 14th over before four wickets in four overs ended the innings on 89 all out in 16.3 overs. M. Mwatile removed both Jones and Caitlyn Wyngaard (6), while Saima Tuhadeleni (1/22) and W. Mwatile chipped in with a wicket apiece.
In reply, Namibia’s opening pair, skipper Suné Wittmann (16) and Kayleen Green (16), made their intentions clear, racing to 19/0 in two overs. Their momentum was halted by Jones (2/13), who dismissed Green in the fourth over with the score 22/1.
Wittmann then teamed up with the in-form Khan, who took control of the run chase, beginning with the duo’s 35-run partnership for the second wicket, taking the game away from the visitors in the low-scoring encounter.
Needing just 33 more runs in the final 12 overs to level the series, Khan stayed aggressive even after the loss of Wittmann off the bowling of Wyngaard (1/29). She struck six boundaries across three overs on her way to her half-century.
Although Jones claimed her second wicket by dismissing Edelle van Zyl (1), Khan stayed firm and took her team home for a seven-wicket win, securing a 2-2 draw in the T20 series.
Following the exciting T20s, the two teams will shift focus to three 50-over matches. The first One-Dayer is scheduled for Tuesday, 08 July at the High Performance Oval in Windhoek at 10h00 SAST.
Scorecards - T20 Series: Namibia v CSA Women’s Emerging Academy
CSA Women’s Emerging Academy Squad - Tour to Namibia
Alexandra Candler (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Jenna Evans (DP World Lions), Nicole de Klerk (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Gandhi Jafta (Fidelity Titans), Leah Jones (World Sports Betting Western Province), Mona-Lisa Legodi (Fidelity Titans), Simoné Lourens (Fidelity Titans). Eliz-Mari Marx (Fidelity Titans), Luyanda Nzuza (Fidelity Titans), Kgomotso Rapoo (DP World Lions), Verunissa Reddy (Knights), Kayla Reyneke (World Sports Betting Western Province), Oluhle Siyo (World Sports Betting Western Province), Delmi Tucker (World Sports Betting Western Province) and Caitlyn Wyngaard (World Sports Betting Western Province)
Fixtures - CSA Emerging Women's Academy Tour to Namibia
T20 Series
Wednesday, 02 July @ 14h00 SAST
1st T20: CSA Emerging Women’s Academy v Namibia (High Performance Oval, Windhoek)
Thursday, 03 July @ 14h00 SAST
2nd T20: CSA Emerging Women’s Academy v Namibia (High Performance Oval, Windhoek)
Saturday, 05 July @ 14h00 SAST
3rd T20: CSA Emerging Women’s Academy v Namibia (High Performance Oval, Windhoek)
Sunday, 06 July @ 14h00 SAST
4th T20: CSA Emerging Women’s Academy v Namibia (High Performance Oval, Windhoek)
50-over Series
Tuesday, 08 July @ 10h00 SAST
1st 50-over: CSA Emerging Women’s Academy v Namibia (High Performance Oval, Windhoek)
Thursday, 10 July @ 10h00 SAST
2nd 50-over: CSA Emerging Women’s Academy v Namibia (High Performance Oval, Windhoek)
Saturday, 12 July @ 10h00 SAST
3rd 50-over: CSA Emerging Women’s Academy v Namibia (High Performance Oval, Windhoek)