Mugeri-Tiripano stars again as Mountaineers Women romp home

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)

 

Mountaineers Women won by nine wickets

 

Chipo 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 in their Women’s T20 Cup match at Old Hararians Sports Club on Friday.

Tuskers Women, batting first, never quite managed to dominate the Mountaineers Women bowling in their innings, when they only managed to score 101 for six wickets in their 20 overs.

Loreen Tshuma was run out for six and Sibonginkosi Ncube was out for 12 as the two opening batters, while Tasmeen Granger steadied the innings with 20 before she too was run out, at 62 for three in the 12th over.

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 Tuskers Women 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 two for 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.

Lindokuhle Mabhero was the only bowler to take a wicket, and with figures of one for 19 in her four overs she was also the most economical.

Mountaineers Women now head the tournament table as the only team to win both their matches, while Tuskers Women now have two defeats to ponder.

 

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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)

 

Rhinos Women won by two runs

   

An excellent all-round match for Mary-Anne Musonda was the main feature in Rhinos Women’ narrow two-run victory over Alliance Health Eagles Women in their Women’s T20 Cup clash at Harare Sports Club on Friday.

Musonda scored a fine fifty, which she followed up with two vital wickets which rocked the Eagles Women innings when they 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 now joined by Josephine Nkomo the pair batted brilliantly together, and in the remaining overs more than doubled the score without being dismissed.

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.

Mbofana and Ndlovu shared the only two wickets to fall in the innings.

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 Modester Mupachikwa, the captain, 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.

This left 16 to win off the final over, bowled by Nkomo, and the Eagles Women’s 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 had been sunk by their middle-order collapse when they had been well placed to win.

Musonda finished with two wickets for 19 runs and Ashley Ndiraya with two for 15.

 

2021/22 WOMEN’S T20 CUP POINTS TABLE