Cricket is gaining ground in the country and according to sports analysts; Rwanda Cricket Association is now one of the most organized federations.

Over the last couple of years, the sport has produced some great talents that have featured in various local and regional competitions, and one of them is the national women’s team captain Mary Maina.

Those who follow the sport in Rwanda very closely believe that, given time and regular training, Maina could one day lead the country to the international level.

In today’s issue, Saturday Sport profiles the 22-year old vice captain of women league side, White Clouds, who, in four years, has grown to become the top female cricketer in the country.

Early years

Mary Maina was born on October 14, 1992 in Nakuru, Kenya to James Maina and Rehab Maina; she is the second born in a family of three siblings—she attended her pre-primary school in Lusaka, Zambia before the family returned to Rwanda in 1997.

Upon her return, she enrolled at Kigali Parents School between 2001 and 2006 before joining Apred Ndera Secondary school in 2007 where she had her first encounter with cricket. Her younger sister Miriam Maina is also a cricket player—she plays for the U-19 team.

"I was first introduced to cricket while in senior two by my sports teacher in 2008 and since then, it has been my favourite sport,” Maina told Saturday Sport in an interview.

Cricket start

The soft-spoken Maina, ditched all other sports that she had tried at school to concentrate on cricket.She spent the first year trying to understand how the sport is played and by 2011 she became a star and went on to captain the school cricket team that played various inter-schools competitions.

In 2012, she led the U-19 national team that played in different regional tournaments in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda respectively.

Though the team didn’t perform well in the ICC U-19 Girls’ tournament in Kampala, she was able to walk with the award for the tournament’s best batter.

In May last year, Maina became the national senior women team captain replacing Lina Uwineza and since then she has captained the team in the 2014 Kwibuka Cricket for Peace Women’s T20 Tournament in which they lost to Uganda 4-5 in a five game series.

She has helped her club; White Clouds win various tournaments including UAE T20, Computer Point T20, Zefran T20 and Sulfo T20.

Best moment

Maina says, "My fondest moment so far was when I won the award of the best batter with 36 runs in the 2011 game against Mozambique during the ICC U-19 Girls’ T20 Championship held in Tanzania.”

"I have not seen any sport that is as interesting as cricket as its a source of discipline and respect towards each other,” explains the third year student of Biotechnology at University of Rwanda, Huye campus.

Maina says her mother is her role model, "She is a modest woman whose heart is the cathedral of hope, very strong, positive and very optimistic in life.”

In international cricket, Maina draws inspiration from England international cricketer Heather Knights.

Future of Rwandan Cricket

Compared to other cricket playing countries in the region and Africa in general, Maina says Rwanda is still new but the speed at which the sport is growing, she is confident that, one day, Rwanda will play at the world cup.

"When I look back in the days when cricket had just been introduced here and where we are right now, I get hope that we shall one day get to where we want to be,” she noted.

Besides playing for her club, White Clouds, Maina coaches the University (Huye campus) cricket team where she is also the captain. She also coaches St. Joseph Kabgayi primary school team in Muhanga district as well as Lycee de Nyanza Secondary school.

Hobbies

Apart from playing cricket, Maina likes reading novels and watching movies.

What others say about her

Her captain in White Clouds, Veronique Iriho, says, "The absentia of Maina in the team affects the entire team’s performance. She is not only a good batter but also a charismatic player who can make the players believe that everything is possible.”

"Kigali Angels nearly defeated us in the UAE T20 final but her charisma brought us together and we managed to win. She is such an important player for us,” stated Iriho.

editorial@newtimes.co.rw