U-19 cricket team poised for Div. 1 qualification

Rwanda U- 19 boys’ cricket team continued their impressive performance at this year’s Pepsi ICC Africa Division Two tournament in Lusaka, Zambia.

Tuesday, August 12, 2014
Rwandau2019s U19 captain Don de Dieu Mugisha poses with match umpires before the game against Swaziland on Sunday. Courtesy photo

Today

Ghana     vs     Rwanda

Zambia   vs       Mozambique

Zwazilandi   vs   Tanzania

Rwanda U- 19 boys’ cricket team continued their impressive performance at this year’s Pepsi ICC Africa Division Two tournament in Lusaka, Zambia.

Coach Edward Pearson’s boys on Monday won their third consecutive game against hosts Zambia following earlier wins against Mozambique and Swaziland.

Rwanda are leading the tournament with nine points, level on the same number of points as Tanzania but with a better run-rate.

On Monday, Rwanda dented Zambia’s hopes of winning the tournament with a three wickets win over the hosts at Metropolitan Cricket Club.

This result means that Zambia’s only hope of making it to Division One is by finishing second, a target which is a toll order already going by the form of Rwanda and Tanzania, both having beaten Zambia.

With Zambia needing to win to first catch up with Tanzania and also stop Rwanda, the home side won the toss and elected to bat first but saw their low scoring innings once again affected by poor bowling which saw them give away up to 30 extras, 23 of them wides.

Zambia made 74 runs all out in 26.5 overs.  Top scorer for Zambia was Mario, who posted 15 runs, while Rwanda’s best bowler was their captain Don de Dieu Mugisha, who picked six wickets for 29 in 8.5 overs.

In trying to defend their low score, Zambia started well, getting five wickets for 27 runs in eight overs but the target was always huge as the resistance eventually cracked with Rwanda passing the target in 17.5 overs with eight wickets down.

Rwanda’s top scorer was Freddy Ndayisenga, with 14 runs.

In other games, Swaziland beat Mozambique by 80 runs, while Tanzania beat Ghana by three wickets. Yesterday was rest day.

Standings

Team     Points

Rwanda    9

Tanzania    9

Ghana    3

Zambia    3

Swaziland    3

Mozambique 0