By YVONNE SAKALA –
THIRTY players have been dropped from the provisional national team preparing for the Africa Cricket Association (ACA) Under-19 Women Championship billed for next month in Botswana.
About 53 players were initially called into the provisional team and the remaining 20 will be trimmed to further the final 14 players, who will make the trip to Gaborone for tournament set for August 25-28.
The Zambia Cricket Union (ZCU) president Reuben Chama said in an interview yesterday that the union was still working around the clock to see to it that it picked a solid team that will bring back good results at the tournament that has attracted eight nations.
Chama said the union was expecting a good outing despite it been the first time the players will be competing at such a competition.
“We have started afresh as we have totally new players who have replaced the team that represented us at the U- 19 tournament in Tanzania some five years ago.
This is a squad of young girls and a completely a new team.
“You may wish to know the youngest player in this team is 11 and the eldest is 17 years old.
This tells a lot, but we are expecting a good outing as they make their international debuts,” he said.
Chama said the ZCU was not worried with other countries fielding over age players because the key is to ensure development was taking place.
“One thing we are going for is to win, I know other countries will feature older players, but we will not be scared of any team but go into the competition with a solid agenda of winning,” he said.
The provisional team has Pauline Chanda, Exildah Chanda, Evelyn Musonda, Cynthia Lubwita, Vivian Mwanza, Winfridah Kapambwe, Abigail Kayuni, Grace Kabaso, Gift Ngoma, Chilufya Chabula and Jean Chabula.
Others are Mwaka Kachingwe, Tina Bwalya, Christine Zulu, Tamara Banda,
Mercy Nguni, Barbara Kalenga, Sarah Chapewa, Filo Chenda, Rachael Mutuna, Mary Simachila, Phaidesi Ng’ombe and Memory Phiri.