Tanzanian team pays the price for batting naivety
Tanzania’s Under-19 team cricketers warm-up during a training session in Benoni, Johannesburg yesterday. PHOTO | SULEIMAN JONGO
What you need to know:
- In just 24 hours, the Tanzanian boys had slumped to two straight defeats at the hands Sierra Leone and Zambia.
Johannesburg. Tanzania faces another ignominious outing at the ICC-Africa Under-19 Division 2 World Cup Qualifiers if they can’t improve in their batting department.
In just 24 hours, the Tanzanian boys had slumped to two straight defeats at the hands Sierra Leone and Zambia.
They will play Botswana tomorrow in the match they ought to win in order to stay in contention for the promotion to the Division One where teams will battle for direct qualification for the World Cup.
Tanzania head coach, who also plays for the senior team, Khalil Rehemtullah admitted that they lost their first two matches due to weaknesses in batting and fielding.
“We still do not have a good combination in batting and fielding. In the first match against Sierra Leone, they batted fairly well, but our fielding was poor,” said Rehemtullah.
“The boys are really struggling in this area and it has already cost us. However, I saw some plusses in our game against Zambia; they were not bad in bowling and fielding. I hope that they will grow stronger as the tournament progresses,” he said.
“We have a two-day break, so I am looking forward to a triumphant return when we clash with Botswana on Wednesday (tomorrow).”
Rehemtullah stressed that he has spoken to his players, demanding a swift response.
“I have told them to make sure that they score at least 40 runs in 10 overs. If they manage to do this, then we will win matches,” he said.
“We still have a chance of qualifying, so losing two matches should not demoralise us. Sierra Leone who beat us in the first match have also been beaten in their second match, so it is up us to us to play well in the next match.
“We just have to try and achieve according to our game plan. I have good feeling that the boys will roll up their sleeves in the subsequent matches.”
Two teams that will finish at the top will qualify for the Africa Division 1 qualifiers, whose winners will qualify for the global Under-19 World Cup finals.
Tanzania has never qualified for the World Cup finals in both junior and senior levels.
