Veteran fast bowler Mary Belle’s future looks bleak after she was once again overlooked during the national women’s cricket team selection ahead of next week’s ICC Africa Women Twenty20 qualifiers.
Cricket Kenya have named a 14-man squad for the qualifiers set for Namibia.
The 37-year-old veteran pace bowler, who made her international debut in 2001, last played for the national in May 2015 during the 2016 ICC Women Twenty20 qualifiers in Zimbabwe.
After the tour, Belle - who is coach Lameck Onyango’s sister and team captain, was not selected to the team’s tour of United Arab Emirates in December last year.
Prior to being selected to the May 2015 squad to Zimbabwe, Belle had also been from the team that played at the inaugural Kwibuka For Peace tournament in Rwanda.
She was once again side-lined from the Kenya squad that successfully reclaimed the Kwibuka trophy in June this year.
With her new ball partner Mercyline Adhiambo and other senior players unavailable for the tour and Kenya searching their first global qualification, it was expected that Belle would make a return to the national team.
It, however, seems the bowler is not in his brother’s plans and this casts serious questions over her international cricket career.
However, Cricket Kenya have made surprise call-ups by including former U19 batter Jane Achieng and youngster Flavian Atieno into the team.
Achieng was in the second team that played in the just concluded series that involved hosts Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania while Atieno performed dismally in the first team.
Achieng last turned out for the national team in 2014 during the Women World Cup Qualifiers in South Africa before leaving the country for the Middle East. Captain Margaret Banja said she is looking forward to the tour and hopes that the players will respond to the challenge well.
“Iam expecting a strong performance from the team every time we walk on to the pitch and for them to give their all. That’s about all I can ask for.”
Squad: Margaret Banja, Sarah Bhakita, Sylvia Kinyua, Quinteer Aoko, Mary Wambui, Vanessa Adhiambo, Faith Mwende, Edith Waithaka, Ruth Achando, Esther Wangare, Alice Muoki, Veronica Abuga, Flavian Atieno, Jane Achieng.