On a day of comprehensive victories in other matches, Malawi pipped Lesotho by four runs as the match went down to the last ball day four of the ICC World Twenty20 Africa C Qualifier tournament in Botswana.
After a much-needed rest day, Namibia hit the ground running on the fourth day of action of the ICC World Twenty20 Africa C Qualifier tournament in Botswana.
A 149-run opening partnership between the on-song Lo-handre Louwrens (84 from 48 balls) and Pikky Ya France (62 off 41 balls) set the tournament favourites on their way to a huge, 179-run hammering of hapless Lesotho.
Namibia eventually rattled up 214 for four, with Jan Frylinck chipping in with a brisk 39 not out, from just 18 deliveries. Lesotho was then blown away for just 35 in 14 overs. Zhivago Groenewald and Bernard Scholtz took three wickets apiece, to complete the most comprehensive of victories.
Across the way, a calm Mozambican chase saw them overhaul Malawi’s total of 104 for six with four overs to spare. Sami Sohail again got amongst the runs for Malawi, with his 42 allowing them to breach three figures. Felipe Cossa maintained his fabulous tournament with bat and ball, with figures of 3-7.
Chasing 105, Imran Ismail calmed early nerves for Mozambique, scoring a quickfire 31 from 15 balls. That deflated Malawi and Kaleem Shah applied the finishing touches with 19 not out.
In the afternoon session, hosts Botswana built on their double triumph on Tuesday, by trouncing Swaziland by nine wickets. Adithya Rangaswamy strangled the scoring rate with a miserly new-ball spell of 1-8 in his four overs. Shehzad Patel top-scored with 19, but 89 for six wasn’t nearly enough.
Botswana lost Abbasi early, but Tshepo Phaswana struck a cultured 37 not out, with six boundaries dotted across the park, while skipper Karabo Motlanka delivered yet again, this time with 41 not out. That saw them home at a canter, by nine wickets, with 52 balls to spare.
In the fourth and final match of the day, Malawi outlasted Lesotho in a thriller that went down to the final ball. Malawi scored 128 for eight, with Sohail (39) again putting his hand up. There were handy additions from M Patel (25) and skipper Mohamed Abdulla’s late 20 was pivotal in the final analysis.
Chasing 129 to win, Lesotho got desperately close. Chachole Tlali was the mainstay until he fell for a measured 58. He was tragically run out at the end of the 18th over. With him went the composure. Lesotho still had a chance to win right to the last ball, where they needed a six to win, and a four to tie.
Player of the Match Patel delivered an ice-cool final over, and denied the last-gasp boundary, to hand his side a morale-boosting win by just four runs, very late in the day.
Scores in brief
Namibia 214-4 (L Louwrens 84, P Ya Frannce 62)
Lesotho 35 ( Z Groenewald three for 6, B Scholtz three for 8)
Namibia won by 179 runs
Malawi 104-6 (S Sohail 42, F Cossa three for 7)
Mozambique 108-5 (I Ismail 31, K Shah 19 not out)
Mozambique won by five wickets
Swaziland 89-6 (S Patel 19)
Botswana 91-1 (T Phaswana 37 not out, K Motlanka 41 not out)
Botswana won by nine wickets
Malawi 128-8 (S Sohail 39, M Patel 25, M Abdulla 20)
Lesotho 124 (C Tlali 58, A Patel 24, M Patel three for 5)
Malawi won by four runs
Photo: ICC
