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SHARNE MAYERS led the way with a fine innings of 62 as the Zimbabwe Women’s team made a perfect start to the ICC Women’s Qualifier Africa 2019 at Old Hararians Sports Club yesterday.

Cricket in Mozambique is still at a very early stage, and it was not surprising that the home team outplayed them in all departments of the game in winning the match by the overwhelming margin of 163 runs.

The Zimbabwe Women won the toss and decided to bat first on a mild, sunny day.

Modester Mupachikwa and Mayers opened the batting with caution for the first one or two overs, but then began to score with ease.

Fours were not easy on the heavy outfield, but Mayers swung one delivery for six over the midwicket boundary with perfect timing.

Runs came off most deliveries, and the pair brought up the fifty in five overs.

The score was 69 in the eighth over when the first wicket fell, Mupachikwa playing a ball from Olga Matsolo on to her stumps to be bowled for 29, scored off 26 balls.

The left-handed Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano came in and played some powerful leg-side strokes against the inaccurate bowling.

A six over square leg off a full toss brought up the team hundred in the 12th over.

Mayers batted very well to reach her first fifty off 37 balls.

She went to 62 off 45 balls before, going for a big hit, she was bowled by Isabel Chuma, the score then being 162 for two in the 17th over. Two balls later Mugeri followed, caught at backward point off the same bowler for 37, scored off 27 balls.

The innings ended on 198 for three for Zimbabwe, Mary-Anne Musonda having 19 and Josephine Nkomo eight, both not out.

The inexperienced Mozambique bowlers bowled 35 wides during the innings.

Nkomo opened the Zimbabwe bowling at a much faster pace than any of the Mozambique bowlers had shown, and in the first over she bowled out Olga Mondlane without a run on the board.

Zimbabwe were also much quicker in the field than their opponents had been, and this took Mana Matine by surprise, as she risked a second run to the arm of Anesu Mushangwe and was easily run out for one; four for two in the third over.

Rosalia Halong (4) chipped a catch to mid-on off Audrey Mazvishaya, but then Cecilia Murrombe and Palmira Cuinica dug in for a while until the latter (6) was also run out, Mugeri being the fielder.

At 16 for four in the ninth over, Mozambique had only their self-respect to play for now.

However, Murrombe was soon bowled by Precious Marange for three, but Fatima Guirrugo showed some fight to score seven before being trapped lbw by Marange; 24 for six.

Christina Magaia tried to hit out, scoring five before being caught at deepish mid-on off the bowling of Mushangwe at 29 for seven.

Mozambique did manage to survive until the final over, when they were dismissed for 35 to complete Zimbabwe’s victory.

There were two wickets each for Nkomo, Mazvishaya and Marange.

Scores

Zimbabwe Women: 198-3 in 20 overs (Sharne Mayers 62, Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano 37, Modester Mupachikwa 29; Isabel Chuma 2/32, Olga Matsolo 1/31)

Mozambique Women: 35 all out in 19.2 overs (Fatima Guirrigo 7, Palmira Cuinica 6, Christina Magaia 5; Precious Marange 2/5, Audrey Mazvishaya 2/5, Josephine Nkomo 2/7) — zimcricket