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Blessing Malinganiza
INDIVIDUAL brilliance by Lady Chevrons skipper, Mary-Anne Musonda with the bat was not good enough to carry Zimbabwe over the line as visiting South Africa Emerging side levelled the T20 series with a 12 run victory at Takashinga Sports Club yesterday.
Musonda had brilliant outing with the bat scoring 53 off 51 deliveries as the Lady Chevrons needed 128 runs to win in 20 overs.
However, Musonda’s half century was in vain as the Lady Chevrons were restricted to 115 runs in 20 overs.
After winning the toss, the South Africans chose to bat first and made 127 runs in 20 overs for the loss of seven wickets.
The visitors had an awful start to their innings as they lost their first wicket inside the first over when Nomvelo Sibanda bowled and caught Annerie Dercksen with the fourth delivery of the match. Following the dismissal of Dercksen, South Africa went on an offensive before losing their second wicket in the fifth over with 25 runs on the scoreboard.
Andrie Steyn ensured that the visitors had a decent score as she scored 32 off 25 deliveries before she was dismissed in the 11th over.
Ndumiso Shangase, the South African captain was the second highest scorer for the visitors with 26 off 35 deliveries. The duo was part of South Africa’s five batters who managed double digits, as the Zimbabwe bowling attack restricted them to a modest total.
Kelis Ndhlovu led the Zimbabwe bowling attack as she claimed three wickets while the quartet of Precious Marange, Loryn Tshuma, Nomvelo Sibanda and Lindokhule Mabhero bagged a wicket each.
Chasing a target of 128 runs, Zimbabwe had a terrible start to their innings as they lost two wickets inside the first over through the bowling of Elizmari Marx.
Ndhlovu was the first to be dismissed with a leg before wicket with the second ball of the innings before Chipo Mugeri-Tirpano came in at number three returned to the pavilion from the third ball of the innings.
The Zimbabwe inning were further put into disarray as Modester Mupachikwa was dismissed in the fourth over as she was caught out Dercksen of a Jane Winster delivery.
At this stage Zimbabwe were now 9 for the loss of three wickets in four overs. With the target now seemingly an uphill task, Musonda who had a slow start to the innings started to combine well with Ashley Ndiraya, steadying the ship for Zimbabwe.
The partnership scored forty runs in six over before Ndiraya was caught by Dercksen of a Seshnie Naidu delivery.
Musonda continued with her fine run as she also combined well with Josephine Nkomo adding 42 runs inside seven over before Nkomo was caught out by Asake Nyovane of a Leah Jones delivery.
With the Lady Chevrons now needing 32 runs to win in three overs, their bid to chase dented a further damage as Musonda was stumped from the last ball of the 18th over.
In a bid to rescue the innings, Loreen Tshuma was run out in the 19th over before Zimbabwe were restricted to 115 runs for the loss of seven in wickets in their allotted 20 overs.
Online Reporter