Chronicle Editor
Brandon Moyo, [email protected]
ZIMBABWE Cricket senior women’s national team have lost the five-match T20I series against Ireland women following a 60-run loss in the third game at Harare Sports Club yesterday.
The visitors took an unassailable 3-0 lead in the series.
Going into yesterday’s encounter, the Lady Chevrons were 2-0 down and needed to win to keep their slim hopes of salvaging something from the series alive, however, they suffered their third straight defeat as Ireland took an unassailable series lead.
After they lost the toss and were asked to bowl first, the Lady Chevrons – missing some of their experienced players in this series – restricted Ireland to 169/3 in their 20 overs before they went on to finish at 109/7 in 20 overs while chasing the target of 170 runs.
The three Ireland wickets that fell were taken by Nomvelo Sibanda, Kelis Ndhlovu and Loreen Tshuma. In her four-over spell, Sibanda finished with figures of 1/30 while Ndhlovu and Tshuma conceded 32 and 29 runs in three and four overs respectively as the Lady Chevrons were made to toil for wickets by the visitors.
Despite losing an early wicket of Gaby Lewis for a duck, Ireland put up a brilliant batting performance with two batters scoring half-centuries. Orla Prendergast top scored for the visitors with a well-played 69 runs off 48 balls while their skipper, Laura Delany finished unbeaten on 54 runs off 29 deliveries.
In their chase, only three Lady Chevrons batters managed to cross double figures with their top scorer being Ndhlovu. She scored 36 runs off 31 balls while Tshuma made 25 runs from 31 balls. Chiedza Dururu remained unbeaten on 24 runs after facing 33 balls. Louise Little finished with bowling figures of 2/8 in just two overs for Ireland while Prendergast, Freya Sargent and Cara Murray took one scalp apiece.
The other two wickets that fell (Pellagia Mujaji, three runs off 12 balls and Christine Mutasa four runs off four balls) were run outs. On Sunday, the 15-year-old Mutasa became the youngest player for Zimbabwe Women in T20I.
The final two matches of the series are scheduled for tomorrow and Friday and will both be played under floodlights at Harare Sports Club.
The two matches will be starting at 18:30pm. – @brandon_malvin
Bongani Ndlovu