Dar journeymen back home after the ICC qualifiers

A Ghana cricketer bowls during their ICC-Africa World Cup Qualifiers-Division 2 match against Tanzania at Benoni, Johannesburg. PHOTO | COURTESY OF ICC

What you need to know:

  • The Tanzanian cricketers, who had bragged to make the country proud, displayed a flaccid performance in the qualifiers and finished sixth in the seven-country tournament.

Dar es Salaam. The national Under-19 cricket team arrived from Johannesburg yesterday where flopped at the ICC-Africa World Cup Qualifiers-Division 2.

The Tanzanian cricketers, who had bragged to make the country proud, displayed a flaccid performance in the qualifiers and finished sixth in the seven-country tournament.

Tanzania lost all their matches with the exception of a consolation victory over hapless Rwanda, extending their poor run at ICC-organised events at all national teams’ levels.

Qualification at Benoni would have lifted the boys to the Division One where the top teams will secure their tickets to the 2018 Under-19 World Cup finals.

The Dar es Salaam cricketers, who were under coach Khalil Rehemtullah, lost five matches starting with Sierra Leone, Zambia, Botswana, Ghana before registering a consolation win over Rwanda at the weekend.

They wound up their Johannesburg campaign on Monday with a nine wicket defeat at the hands of Nigeria, the country which Tanzania could have beaten easily a few years ago.

“We did not perform well as we wished, but it is part of the learning curve. We did not walk away with nothing because the boys learned valuable lessons for the forthcoming tournaments,” said Rehemtullah.

“Since there was no relegation, I believe that the boys will come back stronger and challenge genuinely for qualification.”

On Monday, Nigeria won the toss and elected to bowl. This was sent a signal of their intention to record a win.

Nigeria were happy with their bowling performance as they had restricted Tanzania to 46 runs for 10 in 23.3 overs.

Arsalaan Premji was the only batsman to contribute with 13 runs off 61 balls (1:4’s). Bowlers who did the damage were: S Oluronbi (4 wickets for 16 in 7 overs) and C Akachukwu (3 wickets for 9 in 8.3 overs).