A Good Result for the Host Nation

For a team that was ranked 32nd in the world and sixth on the list or participants here, Rwanda finishing in fourth place was an outstanding result. Only three teams defeated the hosts, the much higher ranked Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda.

The team had a good lead-in, winning the Nigeria Invitational a month earlier. The players were match fit and in a winning frame of mind. The captain, Diane Bimenyimana said as much. “We are well prepared in all departments, we will play each and every game as our last game.”

That this team was in the battle for third place in this company suggests that Rwanda are definitely a team on the rise. A busier playing programme will only help them further. Rwanda Cricket are to be congratulated for the way they are promoting women’s cricket in their nation and the on-field results are justifying all that effort.

Results:

• Uganda (Uganda by 6 wickets)
• Brazil (Rwanda by 35 runs)
• Kenya (Kenya by 4 wickets)
• Germany (Rwanda by 52 runs)
• Tanzania (Tanzania by 5 wickets)
• Botswana (Rwanda by 6 wickets)
• Nigeria (Rwanda by 23 runs)
• Third place: Uganda (Uganda by 8 wickets)

Batting

Two players scored over 100 runs for the tournament, captain Diane Bimenyimana and Gisele Ishimwe, with Sarah Uwera just short with 99 runs. Diane finished in the top five with her 165 runs, but the key for the team is that runs were scored all down the order, sharing the load, not just leaving the job to one or two.

Bowling

Henriette Ishimwe was the leading wicket taker, but as with the batting the workload was shared right through the bowling line-up. Belyse Murekatete bowled with great pace and good economy, as did Immaculee Muhawenimana, even if the wickets weren’t forthcoming as much as others.

Perhaps she was injured, but it did seem as though key spin bowler Margueritte Vumiliya was under-bowled.

Fielding

Henriette Ishimwe was the leading catcher in the team, the allrounder never far from the action. Overall the fielding was good, something that comes with continual match practice.

Two wicket keepers were used, Sarah Uwera and Flora Irakoze. Both performed competently without taking bags of ctahces and stumpings. Indeed I think Sarah’s keeping was her best so far in her career.