admin
MARY-ANNE Musonda and Josephine Nkomo combined to give Rhinos Women their first win of the tournament following the narrow two-runs victory over defending champions Alliance Health Eagles Women in the cricket Women’s T20 Cup at Harare Sports Club yesterday.
It was also a good day for Mountaineers, who now top the table with two wins from as many games after trouncing Tuskers Women by nine wickets.
In the men’s competition that is running concurrently, Rhinos also made it two wins in two games while Tuskers outclassed Alliance Health Eagles for their first win.
For Rhinos Women, Musonda scored a fine fifty and followed up with two vital wickets which turned the game in their favour after Eagles had appeared well placed to win.
Rhinos Women, put in to bat, suffered a bad start as Ashley Ndiraya was caught at the wicket off Esther Mbofana without scoring from the fourth ball of the innings.
Her sister Kelly again struggled to score quickly, making 15 off 34 balls before Kellies Ndlovu bowled her with the total at 60 in the 13th over.
Musonda had scored most of the runs at this point, and when she was joined by Josephine Nkomo the pair batted brilliantly together, and more than doubled the score without being dismissed in the remaining overs.
At the end of their 20 overs Rhinos Women had reached 126 for only two wickets, with Musonda on 55, scored off 54 balls and including eight fours, and Nkomo with 36 off 28 balls, with a six and three fours.
Eagles Women quickly lost Mitchell Mavunga for one in the second over when they batted, but there followed a fine partnership of 63 for the second wicket between the captain Modester Mupachikwa and Ndlovu.
When Ndlovu, who dominated the stand with 38 off 37 balls, was out with the score at 67, three more wickets fell cheaply, and with three overs left 30 runs were needed.
Mupachikwa hit out gallantly with Beloved Biza, but the decisive blow came in the 19th over, when Mupachikwa was bowled by Musonda for 47, scored off 45 balls with four fours, with the score on 109.
Eagles needed 16 to win off the final over, bowled by Nkomo. Their hopes were raised when the first ball went for four byes, and Biza hit two fours off the following two deliveries.
This left four runs needed off the last three deliveries, but Nkomo kept her nerve – Biza scored a single off the next ball, but Adelle Zimunhu was unable to score off the final two, which gave victory to Rhinos Women.
Biza scored 18 not out off 11 balls in her gallant attempt, but Eagles Women could not recover from their middle-order collapse. Musonda finished with 2-19 and Ashley Ndiraya 2-15.
In the other match, Mugeri-Tiripano was again the heroine for Mountaineers Women as she scored an unbeaten fifty to lead her team to an easy nine-wicket victory over Tuskers Women.
Tuskers Women managed to score 101 for six wickets in their 20 overs. Chiedza Dhururu played the best innings, scoring 30 off 32 balls, but she was never able to find a fluent and reliable partner, and at no stage of their innings were they able to score at a run a ball.
The later batters were unable to get going and two wickets went down in the final over to leave the total at 101 for six wickets.Francisca Chipare was the best of the bowlers, taking 2-20 in her four overs.
With Mugeri-Tiripano in fine form, this comparatively small target was never likely to trouble Mountaineers Women.
They lost only one wicket, that of Loryn Phiri, who was out for 11 with the score at 55 after 10 overs.
The Mountaineers Women captain, Pellagia Mujaji, then joined Mugeri-Tiripano, and they took their team to victory without further loss.
Mujaji scored 11 not out, being willing to support Mugeri-Tiripano, who took her score to 58 not out off 57 balls and the Mountaineers Women score to 102 for one wicket, with four overs and a ball to spare.
Mountaineers Women now lead the tournament table as the only team to win both their matches, while Tuskers Women now have two defeats.
Results
Women’s T20 Cup
Mountaineers Women won by nine wickets
Tuskers Women – 101-6 in 20 overs (Chiedza Dhururu 30, Tasmeen Granger 20, Sibonginkosi Ncube 12; Francisca Chipare 2/20, Kudzai Chigora 1/20)
Mountaineers Women – 102-1 in 15.5 overs (Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano 58*, Pellagia Mujaji 11*, Loryn Phiri 11; Lindokuhle Mabhero 1/19)
Rhinos Women won by two runs
Rhinos Women – 126-2 in 20 overs (Mary-Anne Musonda 55*, Josephine Nkomo 36*, Kelly Ndiraya 15; Kellies Ndlovu 1/11, Easther Mbofana 1/24)
Alliance Health Eagles Women – 124-6 in 20 overs (Modester Mupachikwa 47, Kellies Ndlovu 38, Beloved Biza 18*; Ashley Ndiraya 2/15, Mary-Anne Musonda 2/19, Diveniah Ndhlalambi 1/17)
Men’s Domestic Twenty20
Rhinos beat Rocks by five wickets
Rocks – 129/8 in 20 overs (Roy Kaia 31*, Tadiwanashe Marumani 29; Johnathan Campbell 2-21, Ryan Burl 1-18)
Rhinos – 131/5 in 18 overs (Nyasha Mayavo 50, Tashinga Musekiwa 28; Dylan Hondo 1-19, Sydney Murombo 1-28)
Tuskers beat Alliance Health Eagles by 20 runs
Tuskers – 140/9 in 20 overs (Allan Chigoma 32, Steve Chimhamhiwa 22; Brad Evans 5-24, Richard Ngarava 2-23)
Alliance Health Eagles – 120 all out in 16.5 overs (Tinashe Kamunhukamwe 23, Marshal Takodza 21; Luke Jongwe 3-20, Sheunopa Musekwa 3-22) – Sports Reporter/ZimCricket
Online Reporter