Online Reporter
Blessing Malinganiza
Zimpapers Sports Hub
CAPTAIN Josephine Nkomo and veteran batter Sharne Mayers have returned into the Lady Chevrons fold for their five-match T20I cricket series against South Africa Women.
The series beginds at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo today.
Nkomo, who missed the white-ball tour of Pakistan in May through injury, will lead the Lady Chevrons for the first time since her confirmation as substantive captain.
Mayers returns to the national fold two years after her last appearance for Zimbabwe, adding experience to the 17-member squad announced by Zimbabwe Cricket.
The series will also mark the beginning of a new era for the Lady Chevrons, with recently appointed substantive head coach Mark Coles taking charge of his first assignment.
The remaining matches will be played at Queens Sports Club on September Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
South Africa’s visit is a landmark occasion as it is the first time their senior women’s team has toured Zimbabwe.
The two countries’ senior sides have met only twice before, during an ODI quadrangular series held in Potchefstroom, South Africa, in May 2017.
Zimbabwe have, however, faced the South Africa Women’s Emerging side on several occasions.
Apart from Nkomo and Mayers, Nyasha Gwanzura has also returned to the national set-up, while experienced players Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano, Modester Mupachikwa, Loreen Tshuma and Loryn Phiri have been retained.
Zimbabwe have also rewarded three players who featured at last week’s ICC Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup Africa Qualifier Division One in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Zimbabwe Under-19 Women captain Lorraine Pemhiwa has been included alongside Beloved Biza and Christina Mutasa, giving the youngsters an opportunity to test themselves at senior international level.
The series comes at an important stage in the Lady Chevrons’ rebuilding programme following their disappointing campaign at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Global Qualifier held in Nepal in January and February.
They face a formidable South African side currently ranked fifth in the ICC Women’s T20I standings.
The Proteas have also finished as runners-up at the past two editions of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.
The matches will be Zimbabwe Women’s first at home since they hosted the United Arab Emirates in a bilateral series at Queens Sports Club in September and October last year.
Zimbabwe Women squad:
Josephine Nkomo (captain), Beloved Biza, Kudzai Chigora, Francesca Chipare, Nyasha Gwanzura, Lindokuhle Mabhera, Tendai Makusha, Michelle Mavunga, Sharne Mayers, Modester Mupachikwa, Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano, Christina Mutasa, Kelis Ndhlovu, Lorraine Pemhiwa, Loryn Phiri, Nomvelo Sibanda, Loreen Tshuma.
