By SHAMAOMA MUSONDA –
at Metropolitan
ZAMBIA yesterday took a vital 100 runs win over Swaziland in an exciting game that saw three of Zambia’s bowlers take three wickets each at the Pepsi ICC Africa Under-19 Cricket tournament in Lusaka.
The win takes Zambia to nine points, same as Rwanda and Ghana, and by Press time yesterday, ICC officials were locked in a meeting to determine which country among the three joins Tanzania into Division One.
In the game played at Metropolitan Sports Club, Zambia won the toss and went straight into batting and scored 114 runs all out in 45.3 overs and had Mario Nithiyanth to thank as he plundered 46 runs before he was sent to the stands.
Musonda Yambayamba and Chimya Chilekwa weighed in with 42 and 30 runs respectively as Zambia also benefited from 38 extras.
Swaziland’s Siphesilile Tsabedze picked four wickets for 39 runs while Sibusiso Mulyo got three wickets without giving away a run in his nine balls.
In reply, Swaziland were skittled for 114 runs with opening batsmen Tarun Sandeep and Sydney Mdlu knocking 32 and 18 runs that saw their team reach 50 runs without a fall of wicket in 36 overs.
But after the two fell, it was a bowling show for Zambia and took turns in picking wickets with Chetan Reddy, Misheck Malama and Jonathan Chisembele helping themselves to three wickets apiece.
In the other game that had Zambia all ear to, was at Lotus Sports Club between Tanzania and Rwanda, the two sides that had beaten Zambia in this tournament, ended with Tanzania taking a 119 runs win.
Batting first, Tanzania hit 221 runs all out in 48.2 overs before Rwanda went to bat against an intimidating target and were all out for 101 run in 38.4 overs to leave them on six points, which they picked after the first three game and have now lost the last two.
Also on six points was Ghana who yesterday beat Mozambique by four wickets.
After batting first, Mozambique went to 78 runs all out in 31.4 overs and in reply, Ghana reached the required score of 79 runs in 18.1 overs with a loss of six wickets and were thankful to Clement Ateak for picking six wickets for 14 runs in 7.4 overs.