By GARY LEMKE in Accra
It was opening ceremony day at the 13th African Games on Friday, but before the athletes all descended on the stadium, there was still some time to add two more medals to their tally.
Again, it was karate who came to the party, with Marinda Roetz (pictured) and Jesse Sim both picking up bronze medals.
That takes Team SA’s tally to five medals, all bronze. Maxine Willemse, the men’s kata team and the women’s team table players have also all made the podium.
In women’s cricket action, Tanzania won the toss and decided to bat first against a Team SA side still smarting from a one-run defeat via the D/L method in their opening game. Leah Jones struck in the fourth over, with the score on seven. It was soon 17-2 when Jones caught and bowled Saum Mtae. The highest partnership was 14 for the fifth wicket, before captain Nondumiso Shangase removed joint highest scorer Mwanaidi Swedy (9) to make it 43-5 in the 13th over.
Shangase’s off-spin then proved too much for the lower order and she picked up a further four wickets to finish with impressive figures of 3.3-0-13-5.
Team SA then had to chase 67 runs to win in 20 overs. Although they lost Annerie Dercksen in the second over, Jemma Botha (28) and Faye Tunnicliffe (29no) came together for a secod-wicket stand of 51. Shangase then came to the crease and she and Tunnicliffe saw Team SA over he line with 9.4 overs to spare.
“It was a perfect performance to rebound from the loss to Namibia,” Shangase, player of the match, said. “We lost the toss again but weren’t worried that they sent us in. Our bowlers were brilliant and I am so glad to have contributed to the team cause.
“And to top it all, I was named as flag bearer for Team SA at the opening ceremony. What a day!”
How Team SA fared in African Games action on Friday.
BADMINTON
Men’s doubles, round of 32
Team SA (Jared Elliott/Robert Summers) beat Democratic Rep of Congo w/o
Team SA bye
Mixed doubles , round of 32
Team SA (Deidre Jordan/Roberts Summers) beat Burkina Faso 2-0
Team SA (Caden Kakora/Johanita Scholtz) beat Ghana 2-0
Team SA (Jared Elliott/Amy Ackerman beat Mauritius 2-0
KARATE
Women’s kumite -50kg
BRONZE! Marinda Roetz
Male kata
BRONZE! Jesse Sim
CRICKET
Women’s Group A
Team SA vs Tanzania
Tanzania 66 in 18.3 overs (Shangase 5-13)
Team SA 67-2 in 10.2 overs (Tunnicliffe 29no)