Zim women cricket team to tour Namibia
THE Namibian women’s cricket team is set to take on their next door rivals Zimbabwe in four T20 internationals and three 50-over games between January 11 and 20, 2021. The matches will take place at Sparta Cricket Oval, in the coastal town of Walvis Bay.
These matches are a godsend to the Namibians, who had been going through an international fixture drought due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Their last competitive fixtures were in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier in September 2019, where the Namibians finished a disappointing last place after losing all their group stage and playoff games.
However, new women’s coach Francois van der Merwe is bullish about their prospects. Speaking to New Era Live, van der Merwe stressed the importance of winning the series and further outlined the gruelling preparation that awaits the women cricketers.
It involves the players facing each other in about 25 matches, followed by a three-week training camp during which they will fine-tune their batting and bowling skills.
All-rounder Arrasta Diergaardt is looking forward to a busy 2021 and stated that team morale is running high.
“We are not under pressure at all. We are just working on our skills and fitness levels. We have been playing together for quite a while now, so we are well acquainted with one another,” Diergaardt said.
Cricket Namibia have been investing in women’s cricket recently and have concrete plans in place to develop it over the next two years. 2021 is shaping up to be a busy season. After the Zimbabwe clash, they are set to tour Botswana, Kenya and Rwanda for further matches.
It must be noted that the Zimbabwean women are returning to competitive action after an even longer break. They were unable to participate in the World Cup Qualifiers due to suspension from ICC. The ICC had taken action after finding evidence of undue government interference in Zimbabwe’s cricket affairs. —