Nkowankowa ready to give it their best shot

After cruising through the North and Eastern regional finals in Benoni last month, the Nkowankowa Hub ladies’ team is channeling its underdog mentality for the Schools SA20 national finals in Pretoria this week.

The ladies from Limpopo rolled past the Kwa-Thema and Soshanguve Hubs in the regional finals, convincingly winning all three matches to qualify for the finals at Tuks, which begin on 12 March.

Coach Blessing Mabunda has vowed that his charges won’t shy away from the challenge despite facing an uphill battle against the likes of Steyn City School, who are led by SA u19 ladies players Kiara Ramlakan and Karabo Meso, and Saints Christian School, who beat them in the Noordvaal Cup final in December.

“Honestly, it feels like a dream. Some of these players practiced on a soccer field, batting and bowling to a fence, before the start of the Schools SA20,” Mabunda said. “It’s an honour to coach these young talented players. They are different in their own way, but together we make the Nkowankowa Hub a team to fear.”

Breaking Boundaries

Despite their resources’ challenges, Mabunda has prepared the team well and is under no illusion that it’s going to be a walk in the park, like the regional finals. He, however, is banking on the girls’ never-die attitude to challenge for top honours.

“The competition keeps on getting [more] challenging in each phase, but my girls improve with each game. Our preparation hasn’t been easy. The girls live in different locations and our hub covers the whole of Nkowankowa and the surrounding villages and townships in Tzaneen.

“There hasn’t been a day off for me, trying to ensure all the girls get attention. We have had only one warm-up match and it was against our u13 hub boys. We are grateful for the experience, exposure, and support the hub receives from the SA20.”

Mabunda has been coaching the team for six years and has watched some of the girls overcome personal challenges to become provincial players for the Limpopo Impalas. He is thankful to the organisers of the tournament for giving his team hope.

“The growth of the girls is a touching story,” he said. “They went through a lot and cricket gave them hope. Living in rural areas is not easy, especially coming from disadvantaged backgrounds. But that never stopped these girls from breaking boundaries.

“Some have received provincial colours while one made the last 22 for the SAu19 T20 World Cup squad. This tournament will show our talent, skills, and the growth of the hub. The finals feature the best schools and hubs in the country and we are grateful to be a part of the final phase,” he said.

Players to Watch

The team will be banking on the talents of Limpopo Impalas’ seamer Shelfa Mukhari and the talent of batting all-rounder Respect Mabasa, one of their mainstays in the regionals, to get them over the line.

Their go-to player with the ball is the prolific Pontsho Mopayi, who captured an incredible 5/3 in the round-robin against Soshanguve in the regionals.

While they are underdogs, captain Karabo Monyela is confident they will rattle a few cages. They’re going to give it their best shot, she said.

“Heading into the tournament, we look forward to showcasing our bowling attack and our skills. We are going to take it a game at a time and we are also going to keep the momentum, regardless of the situation. We are going to stay humble and focused. We are also going to keep the same energy throughout the tournament,” she said.

Nkowankowa opens their account against Saints Christian School at 09:30 on Thursday.