Cricket trio voted into Africa team
Botswana’s spirited run at the just-ended 2022 ACA Africa Cup has seen three players included in the team of the tournament. Uganda emerged as the eventual winners after defeating Tanzania in a high-scoring final at the Sahara Park Willowmoore Cricket Stadium in Benoni, South Africa last week Thursday.
Botswana had its fair share of high performers after the captain, Karabo Motlhanka, spin bowler, Dhruv Maisuria and all-rounder, Thatayaone ‘Speedville’ Tshose were recognised for their efforts with a place in the best 11.
Motlhanka starred with the bat, scoring 126 runs in four matches as he led from the front. Maisuria was the undoubted star with the ball as he picked 11 wickets in four matches, including consecutive four-wicket hauls.
He dragged Botswana across the line in a crucial group phase match against Ghana as the West Africans threatened to stage a late comeback.
However, Maisuria’s five-wicket haul snuffed life out of Ghana with Bot- swana registering a crucial 11-wicket victory, which set the team on its way to the semi-finals.
Bowling all-rounder, Tshose showcased his batting capabilities, scoring a brisk 49 from 14 balls against Mozambique. He also finished the tournament with three wickets.
After a gritty performance against Ghana and a dominant display facing Mozambique, the Baggy Blues raised hopes of at least reaching the finals.
However, the team came unstuck against a disciplined Tanzania in the semi-final.
Motlhanka is, however, pleased with the team’s performance in Benoni.
“I believe we had a fairly good tournament, doing well to bounce back from a poor first match to reach the semis. However, having reached the semis, my feeling is that had we executed
our skills and plans as well as we had done in previous matches then we would have found ourselves in the finals competing with Uganda,” he told Mmegi Sport. Motlhanka said he was happy with his overall contribution despite the team’s failure to clear the semi-final hurdle.
“On a personal note, it was pleasing to contribute to the team once again.
It was very satisfying to finish as the top run-scorer in the tournament at the time we were knocked out, especially because I’ve had injury setbacks for the past four months or so, and I hadn’t played at all between our tour to Limpopo in April and the Africa Cup. I was just happy to be back playing even though I’ll always think I could have done more to help us reach the final,” Motlhanka said.
Coach Joseph Angara sees the situation as a glass half full rather than a glass half empty, after the team managed to reach its semi-final target.
“We had set our number one goal to reach the semis which we did well. Yes, we could have done better than we did.
Four bad overs from us could have been better but I don’t take anything away from Tanzania; they did play well to beat us and reach the finals. We have taken notes to go work on the areas of improvement,” Angara said.