The ManicaPost
MOUNTAINEERS women booked their place in the finals of the inaugural Fifty50 Challenge after beating Tuskers Women by 62 runs in a rain-affected match at Mutare Sports Club on Saturday. With the match reduced to 30 overs each, Tuskers won the toss and got off to a great start when Evelyn Chisingarambwi was run out for a duck with the team’s score on three.
When Rumbidzai Nire went for only two, the Bulawayo side will have felt that they were onto something.
However, captain Pellagia Mujaji joined Chipo Mugeri-Tirpano at the crease and the pair stabilised and built the innings with an 85-run third-wicket partnership.
Mugeri-Tiripano eventually fell on reaching her second half-century of the season in the competition as she was bowled for a 72-ball 50 by Audrietta Mathema. After Mujaji was caught by Tasmeen Granger off the bowling of Philanthropic Songo for 43, a useful partnership of 24 between Loryn Phiri (11) and Nyasha Gwanzura (11 not out) gave Mountaineers a healthy 139 for the loss of five wickets. In response, Mountaineers tore into the Tuskers innings. A fourth wicket-partnership of 28 between Chiedza Dhururu and Granger was the major resistance for Tuskers. Granger’s departure for 12, trapped leg before by Phiri, was followed in the next over by that of Dhururu who was caught and bowled by Mugeri-Tiripano for 15. Ellen Tshuma stood resolute after that, but wickets fell on the other end as she was left stranded on 16.
Towards the end, Mugeri-Tiripano was one short of a hat-trick when she bowled both Mathema and Songo in successive balls. Thando Moyo survived the hat-trick ball. Moyo was run out for one as Tuskers were bowled out for 77 in 24 overs.
Mugeri-Tiripano led the Mountaineers attack, taking three wickets and conceding nine runs. Francesca Chipare had two for 15 and Phiri two for 17.
While Mountaineers advance, Tuskers have only got pride to play for in the final match of the round-robin stage as that loss eliminated them. – ZC
