Rhinos, Mountaineers win to set up intriguing final day in the Women’s T20 Cup

Both Rhinos Women and Mountaineers Women picked up victories over Eagles Women and Tuskers Women respectively to set up an intriguing final round of matches in the round robin stage of the Women’s T20 Cup.

Players representing the four women’s teams – Eagles, Mountaineers, Rhinos and Tuskers – pose with the inter-provincial one-day and T20 trophies during the unveiling ceremony at Harare Sports Club PIC: Zimbabwe Cricket

Eagles are the only ones who have qualified with eight points and will top the table. The rest of the sides all sit on four each. Mountaineers take on Eagles while Tuskers lock horns with Rhinos next Friday to try and pick a spot in the final of the inaugural T20 Cup come 4 December 2020.

Tuskers Women 56 all out in 19.1 overs (Granger 19, Matongo 12; Nire 3-7, Mazvishaya 2-13, Greatness Mutasa 2-13)

Mountaineers Women 57/3 in 14.0 overs (Mugeri-Tiripano 15, Phiri14, Nire 11*; Songo 1-2, Granger 1-8, Sibanda 1-9)

Mountaineers Women won by seven wickets

Mountaineers’s victory over Tuskers at Mutare Sports Club came on the back an all-round performance by Rumbidzai Nire.

After taking 3-7 with the ball in dismissing Tuskers for 56, she held her nerve at the end to finish unbeaten with 11 chasing down a small target.

The Tuskers’ innings was made respectable by Tasmeen Granger’s 19 and Regai Matongo with 12.

The prodigious Audrey Mazvishaya retuned 2-13.

Mountaineers were steady in their reply, Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano scoring 15 and Loryn Phiri 14. Their opening partnership of 36 set up the win for the Eastern Highlands side.

Mountaineers captain Pellagia Mujaji applauded her team’s turning around their fortunes in the competition saying:

It’s a good comeback, cause (in) the first round we lost all the games, so today’s win and last week’s win gave us a good chance to play in the final.
Pellagia Mujaji , Mountaineers Women captain

Tuskers skipper Nomvelo Sibanda said her side’s batting was their let-down, saying:

I think our batting wasn’t on point. We didn’t have any foundation and we lost wickets in clusters, which put pressure on the batters.
Nomvelo Sibanda, Tuskers Women captain

Eagles Women 101/5 in 20.0 overs (Mupachikwa 56, Ndlovu 26; Nkomo 2-13, Nomatter Mutasa 2-15, Ashley Ndiraya 1-27)

Rhinos Women 102/2 in 17.0 overs (Musonda 42*, Ashley Ndiraya 40*; Marange 2-22)

Rhinos Women won by eight wickets

Meanwhile, at Takashinga Sports Club, a 77-run second-wicket partnership between Ashley Ndiraya and Mary-Anne Musonda meant Rhinos too stayed within a shout at the cup final.

Musonda blasted her 42 off 34 balls, while opener Ashley Ndiraya carried her bat, 40 runs coming from 45 deliveries.

They reached their target of 102 for the loss two wickets in 17 overs.

Precious Marange with 2-22 took both wickets.

Earlier, Eagles captain Modester Mupachikwa’s 56, her first half century of the competition was in vain as the table toppers amassed 101/5 from their 20 overs.

Kellies Ndlovu with 26 was the only other batter to get into double figures.

Rhinos captain Nkomo returned 2-13 while Nomatter Mutasa was 2-15.

Nkomo said she was happy to still within a shot at the final saying:

When you play a tournament, obviously you’re looking forward to winning. So getting the final has been our goal since day one. Although we had ups and downs, we are so happy as a team that we still have this chance.
Josephine Nkomo, Rhinos Women captain

Mupachikwa refused to put the loss down to complacency on the part of her side, saying:

I don’t think we relaxed a bit after having already qualified for the final but it was just one or two things that we missed, especially on our batting. We were supposed to put more runs on the board.
Modester Mupachikwa, Mountaineers women captain

The Women’s T20 cup is in its inaugural season of the Zimbabwe cricket calendar.