Namibia kept their hopes alive in the T20 series with a thrilling three-wicket victory over the CSA Women’s Emerging Academy in the third T20 at the High Performance Oval in Windhoek on Saturday. The home side’s win sees them trailing 2-1 in the series with one game left to play.
Chasing 117 for victory after the Emerging Academy posted 116/8 in their 20 overs, largely thanks to Jenna Evans’ 44 off 44 balls (6 fours), the Capricorn Eagles’ Yasmeen Khan produced an aggressive 26-ball 41 (9 fours) alongside Mekelaye Mwatile (18*) to help the hosts triumph in the final over.
After winning the toss, South Africa opted to bat first, but it was Namibia who took control of the early proceedings. Opening bowlers Eveleen Kejarukua (2/18) and M. Mwatile (1/11) tore through the top order, reducing the visitors to 26/4 in the seventh over. Kejarukua removed Nicole de Klerk (8) and Oluhle Siyo (9), while M. Mwatile (1/11) had Alexandra Candler (2) caught and bowled to go with the run out of Simoné Lourens (5).
Evans and Ghandi Jafta (12) helped bring calm to the Emerging Academy’s innings, teaming up for a 30-run stand for the fifth wicket before a second run out of the contest saw the back of Jafta to leave South Africa 56/5 after 12 overs.
Despite the wicket, Evans continued her form at the crease, sharing useful stands with captain Kayla Reyneke (9) and Verunissa Reddy (16) to take their side past the 100-run mark before further confusion between the wickets saw both Reyneke and Evans run out with the visitors on 110/7.
Reddy was the final wicket to fall, caught off the bowling of Wilka Mwatile (1/24), as the Women’s Emerging Academy closed their innings on 116/8 after 20 overs.
With bat in hand, Namibia began their chase on the backfoot after Reyneke (2/27) repeated her feat from the previous encounter by removing opposing captain Suné Wittmann (0) with the first ball of the innings.
But with the series on the line, the Eagles regrouped strongly. Khan took charge, dispatching nine boundaries in a quickfire knock, and added a vital 49 runs with Kayleen Green (9) for the second wicket before the top-order batter eventually fell to Reyneke, caught by de Klerk.
With Khan back in the dugout and the home side 49/2 in the seventh over, the South Africans had their tails up in the field as bowlers Jafta (1/22), Candler (2/14), and Mona-Lisa Legodi (1/12) picked up wickets at regular intervals, including a double strike in the 15th over from Candler, to leave Namibia reeling on 88/6.
Still needing 29 runs in 30 balls for the win with just four wickets in hand, Namibia’s M. Mwatile held her nerve with the bat as she anchored important partnerships with Sylvia Shihepo (4) and Mezerly Gorases (6*) to stay ahead of the required run rate.
In the end, despite the dismissal of Shihepo via another run out, Mwatile and Gorases got the Eagles over the line with four balls to spare, sealing a memorable three-wicket win to stay alive in the series ahead of the fourth and final T20 on Sunday, 06 July, which gets underway at 14h00 SAST.
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)