Eagles Women win again to secure place in Fifty50 Challenge final

Alliance Health Eagles Women – 152-9 in 42 overs (Modester Mupachikwa 42, Precious Marange 26, Christabel Chatonzwa 23; Anita Chirisimhuru 3/24, Nomvelo Sibanda 2/25, Lindokuhle Mabhero 1/24)

Tuskers Women – 74 all out in 28 overs (Loreen Tshuma 16, Tasmeen Granger 11, Nomvelo Sibanda 11; Christabel Chatonzwa 3/20, Rukudzo Mwakayeni 2/5, Mitchell Mavunga 2/17) 

 

Alliance Health Eagles Women won by 78 runs

 

It seems no one will stop Alliance Health Eagles Women as they stormed into the Fifty50 Challenge final without losing any of their four round-robin matches to date in the women’s inter-provincial one-day championship.

 

They handed their latest victims, Tuskers Women, a 78-run hiding at Sunrise Sports Club on Saturday.

 

The margin of victory could probably have been much bigger had Eagles Women not given away 30 extras, including 22 wides.

 

Tuskers Women won the toss and opted to field first, but just 24 minutes into the game two of their players, Danielle Meikle and Lisa Magoma, collided badly while going for a catch and had to be rushed to hospital where it was confirmed they had both suffered concussion.

 

Scans revealed Meikle had also sustained a collarbone injury and she remains in hospital, while Magoma was given the all-clear and has been discharged.

 

Due to the stoppage, the match was reduced to 42 overs per innings, with Philontropic Shango and Magret Musesedze coming in as concussion substitutes.

 

When the incident happened, the Eagles Women score was 21 for no loss after 6.1 overs – Modester Mupachikwa had 14 and Christabel Chatonzwa four.

 

The pair resumed batting to take their opening stand to 76 in exactly 21 overs.

 

Chatonzwa was the first to go after she was run out for 23, with a single four, off 62 balls.

 

Mupachikwa remained at the crease for almost six more overs before she was stumped by Chiedza Dhururu off a delivery from Lindokuhle Mabhero.

 

She departed for 42, a brilliant 77-ball knock that included a six and a four.

 

Kellies Ndlovu chipped in with a useful 22, with two fours, off 36 deliveries before Nomvelo Sibanda had her caught at the wicket to make the score 115 for three in exactly 31 overs.

 

Apart from Precious Marange who hit two fours in her aggressive contribution of 26 off 25 balls, the rest of the batters struggled to offer any resistance with Beloved Biza, Mitchell Mavunga, Adelle Zimunhu, Michelle Simbanegavi and Olinda Chare all all falling for a combined five runs.

 

Vimbai Mutungwindu and Rukudzo Mwakayeni remained standing on six and one respectively, as the Eagles Women innings came to an end at 152 for nine in 42 overs.

 

Chirisimhuru was the standout bowler with three wickets for 24 runs off her nine overs, while Sibanda grabbed two for 25 off eight.

 

The chase got off to a disastrous start for Tuskers Women.

 

One for one in the first over, two for two in the second and three for three in the third – they were already reeling after Dhururu (0), Sibonginkosi Ncube (0) and Natasha Mthomba (1) were quickly sent back to the changeroom within the first 16 balls of the innings, with Mavunga claiming two of the wickets and the other one falling to Marange.

 

Tshuma tried her best to stabilise the proceedings, smacking two fours before she was run out for 16 off 35 deliveries to make the score 41 for four inside 15 overs.

 

In the next over, without any run added to their total, they were five wickets down after Chatonzwa trapped Musesedze for a golden duck.

 

Chatonzwa struck again in the 20th over, bowling Sibanda for 11 off 59 balls – it was now 48 for six.

 

Tasmeen Granger also made 11, though hers was quicker as it came off 25 balls, while Thuba Saidi (1), Chirisimhuru (1), Mabhero (2) and Shango (1*) never got going before the innings folded for 74 in 28 overs.

 

Chatonzwa finished with three wickets, while Mwakayeni and Mavunga took two apiece.

 

With the victory, Eagles Women have secured their place in the Fifty50 Challenge final with two more round-robin matches to go.

 

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Mountaineers Women – 173-8 in 50 overs (Pellagia Mujaji 49, Precious Dzvifu 25, Audrey Mazvishaya 17*; Josephine Nkomo 3/27, Ashley Ndiraya 2/16, Dana Ndiraya 1/10)

Rhinos Women – 174-2 in 40.1 overs (Josephine Nkomo 61*, Ashley Ndiraya 33, Nomatter Mutasa 31*; Loryn Phiri 2/28)

 

Rhinos Women won by eight wickets

 

Josephine Nkomo scored her second consecutive unbeaten fifty as she powered Rhinos Women to another crushing victory over Mountaineers Women in their Fifty50 Challenge match at Old Hararians Sports Club on Saturday.

 

This time round they did it by eight wickets, having triumphed by 10 wickets in the reverse fixture last weekend.

 

The latest result means the defending champions have not won any of their matches in the second edition of the women’s inter-provincial one-day championship.

 

Just like in their first meeting, Rhinos Women won the toss and asked their opponents to bat first.

 

With only six runs on the board, Mountaineers Women lost their first wicket when Evelyn Chisingarambwi was out lbw to Ashley Ndiraya for one in the fourth over.

 

The captain, Pellagia Mujaji, came in to join Loryn Phiri and their second-wicket stand yielded 43 runs before the latter fell for 10 to a family affair in the 18th over, Dana Ndiraya being the bowler and sister Ashley Ndiraya completing the catch.

 

There followed the team’s biggest partnership as Mujaji and Precious Dzvifu added 53 runs up until they were parted in the 33rd over, with the skipper agonisingly falling just one short of what would have been a well-deserved half-century.

 

Her fine effort of 49, including five fours, came off 90 balls before Ashley Ndiraya had her chipping to Vimbai Kavava to leave the total at 102 for three.

 

Nkomo then bagged her first wicket of the match when she bowled Nyasha Gwanzura for 17, with two fours, to make it 135 for four in the 40th over.

 

Dzvifu stayed on to take the score to 148 for five in 43 overs, together with Audrey Mazvishaya, before she was run out for a 75-ball 25 that included four boundaries.

 

Mountaineers Women lost three more wickets before their innings closed at 173 for eight in 50 overs, Mazvishaya and Monique Mushanyi remaining unbeaten with 17 and one respectively.

 

The total included 44 extras.

 

Nkomo, with three wickets for 27 runs off her nine overs, was the most successful bowler, while Ashley Ndiraya was the most impressive with two for 16 off her 10 overs.

 

After their bowling heroics, the same two players came out to get the chase underway for Rhinos Women.

 

The opening duo made 53 in 10.2 overs, the stage at which Ashley Ndiraya was given out lbw to Phiri having scored a fluent 33, with five fours, off 39 balls.

 

Her other sister in the team, Kelly Ndiraya, came in and hit four boundaries on her way to a 29-ball 26 before falling in the exact same fashion to the very same bowler – and the total was now 96 for two after 18.3 overs.

 

That was to be the last wicket to fall, as Nkomo and Nomatter Mutasa enjoyed an unbroken stand worth 78 runs to take their side to 174 for two and seal a resounding eight-wicket victory with 59 balls to spare.

 

Nkomo finished with 61 not out, a brilliant effort that included four fours and came off 98 deliveries, while Mutasa faced 75 balls for her unbeaten 31, with a single boundary.

 

2021/22 FIFTY50 CHALLENGE POINTS TABLE