Mountaineers female duo earns national stripes

Ngoni Dapira Weekender Correspondent
MUTARE’S cricket franchise Mountaineers women’s cricket duo Chipo Mugeri and Pelagia Mujaji have been once again called up to be part of the 18-member Zimbabwe women’s cricket squad currently in South Africa for a friendly preparatory match against Western Province women’s team.
The squad that left for Cape Town, South Africa, on Wednesday will today (Friday) start their six-game 20 / 20 series against Western Province women’s teams running until Monday. The friendly match will be in preparation for the International Cricket Council Women’s Cricket Regional qualifiers which will be held in Uganda from December 14 to 16.

Zimbabwe women’s cricket manager Caroline Nyamande said they were using the friendly match as a build-up for the regional qualifiers to come up with a well-built team.

She said they would play against Western Province Under-19, Western Province senior team and a select Western Province side respectively.

Zimbabwe women’s cricket vice-chairperson and Mountaineers women cricket patron Maureen Kuchocha said she hoped Mugeri and Mujaji’s national team call-up would spur other local female cricket players to take up the sport seriously.

The Mountaineers duo were last year part of the high-flying Zimbabwe women’s team that came out second after South Africa in the African Division qualifiers for the 2013 ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifiers.

The team’s 2013 ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifiers dream was, however, crushed in the group stages of the qualifiers in Bangladesh after being pitted in a tough group against South Africa, Sri Lanka, Netherlands and USA.

“These two girls are committed to cricket and I am happy that their hard work is not going unnoticed.
“I hope their national team call-up will motivate other local female cricketers to come and join Mountaineers as we endeavour to develop women’s cricket in Zimbabwe,” said Kuchocha.

Zimbabwe Women’s Cricket squad:
Precious Marange (captain), Priviledge Charumbira, Christabel Chatonzwa, Sarah Dambanevana, Chiedza Dhururu, Tasmeen Granger, Audrey Mazvishaya, Esther Mbofana, Thandakwenkosi Mlilo, Chipo Mugeri, Pelagia Mujaji, Modester Mupachikwa, Nomatter Mutasa, Ashely Ndiraya, Josephine Nkomo, Ellen Chuma, Lorraine Chuma, Nomvelo Sibanda. Caroline Nymande (manager), Travor Phiri (coach), Chipo Pfumojena (physiotherapist).