adminH-Metro Reporter
CRICKET umpire, Sarah Dambanevana, was the toast of the country when she took charge of the historic ICC Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup in South Africa in January.
The 32-year-old took her place in an all-female match officials cast.
But, it appears, to reach the Promised Land, Dambanevana had to use some unorthodox means.
Reports say she took a sick leave from work, at the National Gallery of Zimbabwe, where she was an IT Officer.
But, instead of tending to her sick body, it has emerged that Dambanevana was actually taking charge of a Cricket World Cup tournament.
She officiated in the match between India and England.
Now, she has been fired from her job.
She was reportedly dismissed after going AWOL for close to a month, which coincided with the time she was umpiring at the World Cup.
“She was working for the National Gallery as an IT Officer and disappeared from work claiming to be sick only to resurface umpiring at the cricket tournament in South Africa.
She was subsequently fired in March,” said a source.
H-Metro has been trying to get a comment from Dambanevana, for some days now, without any success.
She keeps claiming that she was occupied with other commitments.
The ex-Lady Chevrons’ bowler made history last year by becoming the first female official to officiate in a domestic cricket final after umpiring the Fifty50 Challenge between Eagles and Rhinos.
Dambanevana played for the Lady Chevrons from 2009 to 2013 and then pursued umpiring the game.
She started playing cricket while still in high school in 2007 for the Midlands women’s team, now known as Rhinos Women.
She was selected for the national team for the first time in 2009, for the regional ICC Women’s World Cup qualifiers, which were held in Kenya, the following year.
Mathew Masinge
Online Reporter