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The Zimbabwe women's national team taking part in the ICC Woman's World Cup regional qualifiers to be held in Kenya in December was announced last week. The qualifiers will include the hosts along with Uganda, South Africa and Tanzania.

"There have been no major changes in the line-up, apart from the return of Julia Chibhabha into the squad," said Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) Women's Cricket Coordinator, Caroline Nyamande.

Chibhabha was one of the highlights during the final selection processes after defying critics who feared that her fitness levels would disqualify her from the squad. The team will rely on her ability to run hard between the wicket and precision in playing fast bowlers on the front foot. Southern Rocks' Nonhlanhla Nyathi and Sinikiwe Mpofu are no new faces to the squad, Mpofu the more experienced of the two will provide the team with her expertise as an all rounder.

"The franchises have done well working with the players, the ladies have played more cricket in the last eight months and selectors had a tougher time choosing the squad not only because of increased number of candidates but the swell of competitive players," said Nyamande.

ZC introduced the first ever inter-franchise women's age group tournaments in March, starting with development stages from under-13 to senior levels; the five year programme has already started to show signs of progress.

The squad: Sinikiwe Mpofu, Nonhlanhla Nyathi, Ashley Burdett, Chipo Mugeri, Pellagia Mujaji, Julia Chibhabha, Christabel Chatonzwa, Monalisa Chimutashu, Sharyce Saili, Nyasha Gauzeni, Precious Marange, Ashley Ndiraya, Sarah Dambanevana, Thandolwenkosi Mlilo, Sharne Mayers
[Source: ZC]

The Citizen of Tanzania reports that a Zimbabwe U19 women's side is set to take part in a 30-overs-a-side tournament in the country. The tourney is scheduled to be held between 22-26 October, and will also feature sides from Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and Zambia:

Tanzania Cricket Association Chairman, Zulfikar Rehemtullah said yesterday that all participating teams would jet in on October 20, resting in the subsequent day before the start.

The 30-over tournament is exclusive for the ladies teams aged below 19 years and aimed at promoting the sport in the region. The tournament would be held in the venues of the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM), Leaders Club and Annadil Burhan.

The tournament is to be held under the auspices of the African Cricket Association, the ICC's regional development body, and so seems to have official backing.
The Citizen - Tanzania U-19 cricketers ease past Commonwealth side

The national women's team selection process (announced here) has been completed, and ZC have now announced the resulting 15-member national squad. Team manager Joyce Chizana is very confident about her team and believes that although there is still a lot of work to be done, her four member coaching team will provide the girls with all the technical know-how and match fitness to get them to their target:

"We had to select the team well in advance in preparation for the 2010 regional qualifiers for the 2013 world cup. This time we would like to see the ladies get through to the quarter or semi-finals."

In the run-up to the first qualifier rounds next year, the team will be concentrating on teamwork and improving standards of play to match more experienced and higher ranked teams like Australia, India and England.

The team was selected from a huge pool of female cricketers stemming from the schools circuit, provincial associations and clubs. The 15 member squad managed to retain nine of its players from the 2006 squad with high performance players like the veterans Sinikiwe Mpofu, Precious Marange and wicket-keeper Sharne Meyers. The national team also includes the 2008/2009 season female cricketer of the year, Thandolwenkosi Mlilo.

The full squad is:
Ruvarashe Chinyemba, Sharne Meyers (wk), Sinikiwe Mpofu, Thandolwenkosi Mlilo, Pellagia Mujaji, Mary-Anne Musonda, Ashley Ndiraya, Emily Jinjika, Precious Marange, Ashley Burdett (pictured above), Susan Kudzibatira, Christabel Chatonzwa, Sharice Saili, Audrey Mazaishaya, Chipo Mageri.
[Source: ZC Media Release. Image © ZC]

It's been a little quiet on the women's cricket from for a while, but things are getting moving again. ZC will be holding final trials for the national women's cricket squad on the 15th & 16th of September 2009, at the ZC Academy. The final national squad will be made up of 15 players with the remaining contenders placed in the Zim A team.

The national side will be selected from the 30 strong squad that was initially selected during the women's Interprovincial Tournament held in April this year. Following the trials, a training session will be held on the 17th & 18th of the same month.
[Source: ZC Media Release]

The Zimbabwe Standard reports that a planned training camp for Zimbabwe's womens' side - the first stage in the side's preparations for next year's ICC Womens' World Cup qualifiers - has been postponed due to the unavailability of a number of players. The 30-player squad was selected in March following the womens' inter-provincial tournament, held in Kwekwe. The training camp has been rescheduled to August 16th-21st.
Zimbabwe Standard - Cricket Camp Postponed

The Chronicle reports that Bulawayo Metropolitan CA are holding Zimbabwe's first ever coaching course for women at Queens Sports Club next week (9-13 June). The course is part of the province's regeneration plan, and they hope it will lead to the reintroduction of a womens' league in the province, according to ZC's regional manager Joshua Paul:

"We do not have any women's clubs in our region. Now what we want to do is to come up with a league for women and it starts by setting up proper structures and we believe that the course will help create awareness and mobilise women with the love for the sport."

Westerns apparently lifted the womens' inter-provincial title back in April, beating Northerns in the tournament final (not that you'd have noticed, from all the publicity ZC didn't give the event), and are now looking to build on that success. Good luck to them.
The Chronicle - ZC on revival of women cricket

The womens' inter-provincial one-day tournament is now underway, with the first round of matches having been played at Old Hararians.

In the first round, Westerns beat Easterns by 8 wickets (Easterns batting first made 122/8 in the allotted overs before Westerns reached the target in 17.4 overs for the loss of just two wickets - they made 123 to take the match and the points), while Northerns beat Centrals by 124 runs (Northerns made 176 in 40 overs for the loss of five wickets - in reply Centrals could only manage 52 runs all out in 21.3 overs to hand Northerns the victory).

Thursday's matches were Easterns v Northerns and Centrals v Westerns, with the final round on Friday being Easterns v Centrals and Westerns v Northerns. Results of these matches when we get them.

They may not have qualified for the World Cup, but Zimbabwe's women have put in a creditable performance in this tournament, securing 5th place after another convincing win over Scotland. Batting firs, Zimbabwe scored 236/6 from their 50 overs, with Yvonne Rainsford (69), Sinikiwe Mpofu (48) and Julia Chibhabha (48*) forming the backbone of the innings. For the Scots, Fiona Campbell took 2/44. Scotland were then skittled out for 75, with Julia Chibhabha taking 4/16 and Precious Marange 3/22 on the way to a convincing 161-run victory.

Full scorecard below the cut.
Zimbabwe 236/5 (50 overs; Rainsford 69, Campbell 2/44), Scotland 75 (32.5 overs; 'Extras' 27, Anderson 13, Chibhabha 4/16). Zimbabwe win by 161 runs.

Zimbabwe's women won't be qualifying for the World Cup, or gaining Test status, after they lost their final group match to Ireland on Thursday (21st). Batting first, Ireland powered their way to 305/5 from their 50 overs, led by Isobel Joyce's 70 (and 40 extras from Zimbabwe's bowlers did no harm, either). The only Zimbabwean not to have a go with the ball was 'keeper Nonthlanthla Nyathi - of the 10 that bowled, captain Julia Chibhabha was the most effective, with 2/40 off her 10 overs.

In reply, Zim were equally out of their depth - Emily Jinjik and Yvonne Rainsford top-scored on 14 each, as Zim were bowled out for 97 in 30 overs. The side now go on to the 5th-place playoffs, where they meet Bermuda on Friday - give the Caribbean side's inept display against South Africa earlier in the tournament, this should be one match the women will be assured of winning... Scorecard below the cut.
Ireland 305/5 (50 overs; Joyce 70, Chibhabha 2/40), Zimbabwe 97 (Jinjika 14, Rainsford 14, Joyce 4/10). Ireland win by 208 runs.

Zimbabwe's women suffered a turnaround in fortune in the Women's World Cup Qualifiers this morning, as Pakistan overpowered them in a one-sided match in Stellenbosch. Batting first, Zimbabwe posted just 58 before being bowled out, with none of their players reaching double figures - Emily Jinjika's 9 was the best of a poor bunch, while Pakistan helped them along by adding 20 extras to the total. Sana Mir took 3/7 from 6 overs. In reply, Pakistan - who unlike Zimbabwe hold Test status in the women's game - rattled off the required runs in 13 overs, for the loss of just one wicket.

Scorecard below the cut. In today's other Pool B match, Ireland beat Scotland by 9 wickets, a result that leaves Pakistan top of the group, with Ireland ahead of Zimbabwe on Net Run Rate - making their meeting on Thursday a crunch game for both sides.
Zimbabwe 58 (35.3 overs; Jinjika 9, "Extras" 20, Sana Mir 3/7), Pakistan 59/1 (13 overs; Bismah Maroof 25*, Jinjika 1/15). Pakistan win by 9 wickets.