HARARE: The SA Emerging Women levelled the ongoing six-match T20 series against Zimbabwe 2-2 following a 12-run victory in the fourth T20 at the Takashinga Sports Club in Harare on Friday in spite of a valiant half-century from the home side’s Mary-Ann Musonda.
Thanks to top-scores from Andrie Steyn (32) and Nondumiso Shangase (26), South Africa posted a competitive total of 127/7, with Zimbabwe’s Kelis Ndhlovu taking figures of three for 19 before the visitors restricted the hosts to 115/7 on the back of leading contributions from Leah Jones (2/12) and Eliz-Mari Marx (2/18).
After winning the toss and electing to set a score, the South Africans lost two early wickets with the in-form Annerie Dercksen (4) and Lara Goodall (14) sent packing within the opening powerplay prior to ending the first six overs on 30/2.
On the back of losing two partners at the crease, top-order batter Steyn formed a valuable third-wicket stand with all-rounder Shangase as the pair keep on 41 runs before the former fell after a well-played 32 off 25 deliveries to assist propel the away side to 66/3 in the 11th over.
Shangase stuck around for another crucial partnership, this time with Marx (16) worth 31 runs, before both batters fell in quick succession as South Africa moved into triple digits at the finish of the 17th over.
Youngster Asakhe Nyovane then notched up 15 runs off 14 balls alongside wicket-keeper batter Mieke de Ridder to guide South Africa to a defendable target.
Ndhlovu picked up the last three SA Emerging wickets to drop, joining Nomvelo Sibanda (1/13), Precious Marange (1/31), Lindokuhle Mabhero (1/26) as well as Loreen Tshuma (1/21) in the wicket-taker’s list.
In Zimbabwe’s chase, the home team got off to an undesired start as Marx struck twice in the first over of the innings to remove Ndhlovu (0) and Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano (0) without scoring to leave them reeling on 2/2.
Proceedings got worse for the neighbouring nation as Jané Winster (1/19) quickly claimed South Africa’s third wicket to aid limit the Zimbabweans to 3/9 in the fourth over before Musonda – who opened the batting – partnered up with Ashley Ndiraya (15) to grasp their side to 53/2 in the 10th over.
With Zimbabwe’s chase still alive and well with Musonda at the crease after she helped add another 42 runs with Josephine Nkomo (10) to reach her half-century, the SA Emerging side continued to survey for opportunities as Seshni Naidu (1/27) and Leah Jones’ two wickets in two balls, including that of Musonda, rocked the host country’s hopes of a victory.
A sprint out by duo Shangase and Nobulumko Baneti was responsible for ZImbabwe’s last scalp before Nyasha Gwanzura was left standing on 15 not out as Zimbabwe ran out of time, awarding South Africa a series-levelling triumph with two matches left to play.
The next encounter between the two sides gets underway on Sunday, 26 November at 12h00 CAT from the Takashinga Sports Club in Harare.
SA Emerging Women Squad vs Zimbabwe (2023/24):
Nobulumko Baneti (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Annerie Dercksen (Six Gun Grill Garden Route Badgers), Mieke de Ridder (Six Gun Grill Garden Route Badgers), Jenna Evans (DP World Lions), Lara Goodall (Western Province), Leah Jones (Western Province), Tebogo Macheke (Fidelity Titans), Eliz-Mari Marx (Fidelity Titans), Refilwe Moncho (DP World Lions), Seshnie Naidu (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Asakhe Nyovane (Six Gun Grill Garden Route Badgers), *Tumi Sekhukhune (DP World Lions), Nondumiso Shangase (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Andrie Steyn (Western Province), Jané Winster (Six Gun Grill Garden Route Badgers)
Results: SA Emerging Women vs Zimbabwe
Sunday, 19 November –
SA Emerging beat Zimbabwe by eight wickets
Zimbabwe: 96/7 after 20 overs; J. Nkomo 34* (50), N. Gwanzura 26 (22); E. Marx 2/9, N. Shangase 1/6
SA Emerging: 99/2 after 11.2 overs; A. Dercksen 58* (30), A. Steyn 16 (15); K. Ndhlovu 2/12, A. Mazvishaya 0/7
Monday, 20 November –
Zimbabwe beat SA Emerging by six wickets (DLS)
SA Emerging: 69/4 after 8 overs; N. Shangase 22* (12), A. Steyn 17 (13); K. Ndhlovu 3/19, L. Mabhero 0/8
Zimbabwe: 70/4 after 7.4 overs; C. Mugeri-Tiripano 42* (18), M. Musonda 14 (13); S. Naidu 2/22, E. Marx 1/9
Wednesday, 22 November –
Zimbabwe beat SA Emerging by three wickets
SA Emerging: 105/9 after 20 overs; A. Dercksen 27 (28), L. Goodall 25 (32); L. Tshuma 4/21, J. Nkomo 2/13
Zimbabwe: 106/7 after 18.3 overs; A. Ndiraya 34 (30), L. Tshuma 24* (18); L. Jones 3/16, T. Sekhukhune 2/19
Friday, 24 November –
SA Emerging beat Zimbabwe by 12 runs
SA Emerging: 127/7 after 20 overs; A. Steyn (32), N. Shangase 26 (35); K. Ndhlovu 3/19, N. Sibanda 1/13
Zimbabwe: 115h7 after 20 overs; M. Musonda 53 (51), N. Gwanzura 15 (9); E. Marx 2/18, L. Jones (2/12)
Fixtures: SA Emerging Women vs Zimbabwe
Sunday, 26 November @ 12h00 CAT – 5th T20 – Zimbabwe vs SA Emerging Women (Takashinga Sports Club, Harare)
Monday, 27 November @ 12h00 CAT – 6th T20 – Zimbabwe vs SA Emerging Women (Takashinga Sports Club, Harare)
Source: cricket.co.za
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