Women’s T20 Cup Day 5: Rhinos beat Eagles to keep final chance alive

Alliance Health Eagles Women – 95-9 in 20 overs (Modester Mupachikwa 34, Adelle Zimunhu 23, Mitchell Mavunga 10; Josephine Nkomo 4/7, Ashley Ndiraya 3/23, Diveniah Ndhlalambi 1/5)

Rhinos Women – 98-5 in 19.4 overs (Josephine Nkomo 29*, Mary-Anne Musonda 22, Ashley Ndiraya 21*; Precious Marange 2/8, Olinda Chare 2/14)

Rhinos Women won by five wickets

Rhinos Women captain Josephine Nkomo produced a devastating opening spell of bowling that was to send Alliance Health Eagles tumbling to a five-wicket defeat in the other Women’s T20 Cup match played at Old Hararians Sports Club on Tuesday.

In her first two overs, after winning the toss and putting in Eagles Women to bat first, she bowled out Beloved Biza first ball, Kellies Ndlovu second ball and trapped Precious Marange lbw off the third ball she faced, all without scoring, the score then being 11 for three wickets.

In Nkomo’s third over, Alice Marongwe was also lbw, having scored one, and Eagles Women were 26 for four.

Most of the runs came from Modester Mupachikwa, who survived the carnage to score 34 off 22 balls, while Adelle Zimunhu scored 23, but only a partial recovery was possible after Nkomo’s spell of four wickets for seven runs in her four overs.

Ashley Ndiraya backed up her captain well, taking three wickets for 23, and in the end Eagles Women did well to struggle to 95 for nine wickets after their 20 overs.

Rhinos Women in reply made 42 before their first wicket fell, although Ashley Ndiraya had temporarily retired hurt.

Mary-Anne Musonda was then out lbw to Olinda Chare, and suddenly Rhinos Women faltered, as Chare and Marange took two wickets each for a total of seven runs in four overs, after which the score was 49 for four wickets and Eagles Women were right back in the game.

But now Nkomo came to the rescue of her side with the bat, as fortunately for her Rhinos Women had overs in hand, which enabled her to play herself in and score steadily, with more defensive support from Dana Ndiraya at the other end.

After Dana was run out, her sister Ashley returned and with Nkomo ticked off the remaining runs to win the match with a score of 98 for five wickets with two balls to spare at the end.

Nkomo finished a wonderful match for herself with 29 not out off 38 balls to add to her brilliant four-wicket burst, while Ashley was 21 not out at the end off 21 balls.

The last round-robin matches scheduled for Wednesday will decide who, between Alliance Health Eagles and Rhinos Women, will face Mountaineers Women in the Women’s T20 Cup final that has now been moved from Thursday to Saturday at Harare Sports Club.

2021/22 WOMEN’S T20 CUP POINTS TABLE