Namibia Women’s Cricket Team, the Capricorn Eagles, delivered a dominant performance in their opening One Dayer against South Africa Women’s National Academy, clinching a commanding 100-run win to cap off the tour where both teams had earlier shared honors in the T20 series with two wins apiece.
Batting first, the Capricorn Eagles showcased a clinical batting display, especially after losing opener Kayleen Green for a duck early in the innings. What followed was a masterclass in rebuilding and acceleration, led by the brilliant Yasmeen Khan and the dependable Sunè Wittmann.
The pair stitched together a formidable 172-run partnership for the second wicket, laying a solid foundation for a big total. Wittmann played a composed knock of 68 off 95 deliveries, anchoring the innings and rotating the strike efficiently, while Khan was the standout performer of the day, remaining unbeaten on a magnificent 145* off 134 balls, a knock filled with precision and power.
Following Wittmann’s dismissal, Edelle Van Zyl joined Khan and added a valuable 34 off 47 balls, contributing to a 68-run partnership that kept the scoreboard ticking. Mekelaye Mwatile chipped in with 5 off 7 in the closing overs, helping the Eagles post a highly competitive total of 274/5 at the end of their 50 overs.
Despite the efforts of Caitlin Gail Wyngaard, who impressed with figures of 3/43 in her 10 overs, and Alexandra Clare Candler, who picked up 2/42, South Africa Women’s Academy bowlers struggled to contain the flow of runs, especially during the crucial middle phase where Khan took control of the innings.
In reply, South Africa Women’s National Academy started positively, with openers Nicole Clare De Klerk and Alexandra Candler putting up a steady 78-run stand. De Klerk scored a brisk 43 off 55 balls while Candler contributed 42 off 72, setting a promising platform for the chase. However, once the opening partnership was broken, the innings unraveled quickly as the middle and lower order failed to capitalise.
Papama Gandhi Hlumela Jafta tried to resurrect the innings with a quick 26 off 34, and Delmari Tucker added a spirited 17 off 16. Jenna Evans contributed 19 off 29 and Leah Jones added 14 off 15 down the order, but the rest of the batting lineup faltered under pressure. Eliz-Marie Marx and Luyanda Elihle Nzuza were both dismissed for ducks, and with wickets tumbling at regular intervals, the team was eventually bowled out for 174 in 40.5 overs, falling well short of the target.
Leading the attack was Mwatile Mekelaye, who struck at crucial moments and wrapped up the innings with impressive figures of 3/28 in just 4.5 overs. Mwatile Wilka maintained tight lines with figures of 2/33 in her full quota of 10 overs. Supporting her was Sylvia Shihepo, who also chipped in with 2 wickets for 35 runs in 7 overs.
This comprehensive 100-run win will give the Capricorn Eagles a huge boost of confidence in the series. The performance, especially with the bat led by Yasmeen Khan’s stellar century, underlined their growing dominance and cohesion as a team in the 50-over format.
