Southerns in whitewash

Brandon Moyo, Sports Reporter
SOUTHERNS women team successfully completed a whitewash over Northerns after winning the final match of the Zimbabwe Women’s Regional One-Day tournament 2022/23 season by 118 runs at Sunrise Sports Club in Harare yesterday.

Heading into the match with an unassailable 2-0 lead, Southerns continued the dominance with yet another brilliant performance with both bat and ball to make it 3-0. Southerns scored 242-4 in the 50 overs and Northerns finished 124-9 with Ashley Ndiraya retiring hurt from the match.

Batting first, the mammoth total was their third consecutive 200 score in the series. The batting line-up was led by Modester Mupachikwa who missed out on a hundred, finishing with 94 runs not out. Christabel Chatonzwa fell nine runs short of her half-century after she was trapped leg before wicket (lbw) on 41 runs.

Young Kelis Ndhlovu scored 30 runs in as many deliveries and Sharne Mayers fell for 18 runs. Tasmeen Granger finished with an unbeaten 37 runs while Andelle Zimunhu fell for a golden duck to conclude the Southerns’ innings.

Consistent campaigners with the ball for Northerns, Loryn Phiri and Nomvelo Sibanda were the only ones who took wickets, getting three and one respectively.

Chasing yet another huge total, Northerns’ top order failed to get going with Chiedza Dhururu, Kelly Ndiraya and Pellagia Mujaji scoring 14, zero and one run(s) respectively. A fighting half-century from captain Mary Anne-Musonda was not enough to see her team through. The skipper scored 57 runs whilst the rest of the team recorded single-digit scores besides Dhururu and Sibanda.

Anita Chisirimunhu took three wickets for 18 runs with the last ball of her seventh over and was supported by Josephine Nkomo and Kelis Ndhlovu who had two scalps each. Precious Marange and

Loreen Tshuma took one wicket each.

The match brought to an end the country’s white ball regional competitions for both men and women and for men, the focus has shifted to the Logan Cup. — @brandon_malvin