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Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE women’s cricket team captain Marry-Anne Musonda led from the front yesterday as the visiting side swept to a 57-run victory over hosts Namibia to seal the Namib Desert Women’s T20 Challenge at the Sparta Club in Walvis Bay.

Musonda’s 60 runs helped Zimbabwe claim an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series after winning the opening two games comfortably at the weekend.

They beat Namibia by six wickets in the first game on Saturday and then came back on Sunday charged up to claim an eight-wicket win.

The Zimbabweans were put in to bat first after losing the toss for the first time and they put on 136/8 before restricting the hosts to 79/9. Despite the setback of losing Ashley Ndiraya (5) early after the opener had faced only seven deliveries, Modester Mupachikwa (22) and Chipo Mugeri (23) kept the scoreboard ticking.

But then Musonda, who was named team skipper just before their departure for Namibia, shone with the bat when she got into the fray batting at number five.

She struck nine fours in her 60-run knock in 49 balls before she fell to Reehana Khan late in the innings as the Zimbabweans tried to stretch their score.

This was the first half ton of the series and, more importantly, the team’s batting performance ensured Zimbabwe powered to a competitive total.

The target was always going to be an uphill task for the hosts who are yet to get a triple digit total in the series.

Namibia were two down early in the innings after losing both openers Yasmin Khan and Adri van der Merwe, who has been their best player with the bat in the series, with only 11 on the board.

Thereafter, wickets continued to fall at regular intervals. Roche Venter (15), Arrasta Diergaardt (22) and Sunne Wittmann (10) tried to patch up the innings but their efforts were not enough as the Zimbabweans continued to pin them down.

Every one of the six bowlers used by Zimbabwe got, at least, a wicket yesterday with Josephine Nkomo and Precious Marange leading the pack with took two wickets each.