Women’s T20 Cup Day 3: Eagles Women beat Mountaineers Women in rain-affected match

Alliance Health Eagles – 96-2 in 11 overs (Modester Mupachikwa 38*, Precious Marange 32, Kellies Ndlovu 19; Nyasha Gwanzura 1/17, Patricia Mutembo 1/24)

Mountaineers Women – 83-5 in 11 overs (Loryn Phiri 21, Nyasha Gwanzura 16, Pallagia Mujaji 16; Mitchell Mavunga 3/20, Olinda Chare 1/14, Esther Mbofana 1/20)

Alliance Health Eagles won by 13 runs

An early-morning downpour in Harare played havoc with the Women’s T20 Cup matches scheduled for this Sunday in the capital.

The game between Rhinos Women and Tuskers Women had to be abandoned because the Old Hararians ground was too wet for play.

At Harare Sports Club, Alliance Health Eagles Women and Mountaineers Women were able to play their match, although it had to be reduced to 11 overs per side.

Eagles Women, put in to bat, did well to score 96 for only two wickets in their 11 overs.

Modester Mupachikwa and Precious Marange opened their innings and scored 64 runs in only six overs before Marange was bowled by Nyasha Gwanzura for 32 off 22 balls, with a six and four fours.

Kellies Ndlovu came in next and did her part, with 19 off 14 balls before she was caught off Patricia Mutembo in the final over.

Mupachikwa batted throughout the innings for 38 not out, scored off only 30 balls, with four fours.

The final score was 96 for two wickets, a tough challenge for Mountaineers Women.

Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano hit Mitchell Mavunga for two fours, but was then bowled by the fifth ball of the first over.

Her opening partner Gwanzura hit a six and two fours in scoring 16 off just seven balls before she was caught off Olinda Chare.

Pellagia Majaji scored 16 off 13 balls, but Mountaineers Women’s problem was that they kept losing wickets and could not find batters to stay in long enough as Mupachikwa and Marange had done for Eagles Women.

In addition, Francisca Chipare was unable to keep the score moving quickly enough, and she took 19 balls for just eight runs.

Loryn Phiri came in at number five to score 21 off 16 balls, but at this stage the required run rate was too great.

She was bowled by Mavunga off the final ball of the innings to make the score 83 for five, giving Eagles Women victory by 13 runs.

Mavunga’s bowling also played a key part, as she took three wickets for 20 runs in her three overs.

This was Mountaineers Women’s first defeat in the tournament, and these two teams are now level at the top of the table with 20 points from two victories each in three matches to date.

2021/22 WOMEN’S T20 CUP POINTS TABLE