Staff Reporter
HARARE, ZIMBABWE, November 23 – The Zimbabwe Women’s cricket team clinched a thrilling three-wicket victory against the South Africa Emerging side at Harare Sports Club, establishing a dominant 2-1 lead in the ongoing T20 series. This triumph starkly contrasts with the Chevrons’ disappointing seven-wicket loss to Namibia in their inaugural match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Qualifier Africa in Windhoek.
The Lady Chevrons’ success was fueled by an outstanding bowling performance from Loreen Tshuma, who claimed an impressive 4/21 in her four overs, earning her the well-deserved player-of-the-match accolade. Supported by contributions from Josephine Nkomo, Kelis Ndhlovu, and Lindokuhle Mabhero, they restricted South Africa Emerging to a modest total of 105/9 in their allocated 20 overs.
In response, the Lady Chevrons demonstrated remarkable resilience, successfully chasing down the 106-run target with nine balls to spare. Ashley Ndiraya led the charge with a top-scoring 34 runs, while opener Ndhlovu added a valuable 23 runs. The duo laid a solid foundation for the middle order, with Tshuma and Sibanda guiding the team to victory with unbeaten knocks of 24 and seven runs, respectively.
The defining moment of the match occurred in the 12th over when South Africa Emerging’s Leah Jones claimed a remarkable hat-trick, dismissing Ndhlovu, Nkomo, and Nyasha Gwanzura in consecutive deliveries. Despite this setback, the Lady Chevrons maintained composure, securing a well-deserved victory.
Lady Chevron’s head coach Gary Brent expressed satisfaction with the team’s performance, highlighting the importance of facing strong opposition and executing game plans effectively. He also commended Nomvelo Sibanda, who celebrated her birthday by picking up a crucial wicket.
Meanwhile, in Windhoek, the Chevrons struggled to find their rhythm, posting a total of 132/8 after batting first. Despite Craig Ervine’s 36 runs from 33 balls, Ryan Burl’s unbeaten 27, and captain Sikandar Raza’s 20 runs from 21 balls, their batting fell short.
In contrast, Namibia displayed ease in their chase, reaching the target of 134 with three wickets to spare in just 14.4 overs. Openers Niko Davin and Michael van Lingen dominated, with Davin smashing an impressive 89 runs from 45 balls and van Lingen contributing a quick-fire 20 runs from 20 balls. Richard Ngarava, despite his four-over spell yielding one wicket for 20 runs, couldn’t stem the flow of runs.
Chevron captain Sikandar Raza expressed disappointment with the outcome, acknowledging the team’s shortcomings and vowing to bounce back stronger. He recognized Namibia’s performance, particularly Davin’s batting prowess, and emphasized the need to learn from their mistakes.
The Chevrons are set to face Tanzania in their second tournament match today, aiming to redeem themselves and secure a crucial victory.
