LADY CHEVRONS WIN AGAIN, SEAL ODI SERIES
THE Lady Chevrons held their nerves to register a two-wicket win and take an unassailable 2-0 lead in their three-match One Day International (ODI) series against visiting Papua New Guinea at Harare Sports Club yesterday.
The Lady Chevrons have now sealed the series with a game left.
Zimbabwe, who are using the series as part of their preparations for the upcoming International Cricket Council (ICC) Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifiers in the Emirates in April, produced a good bowling performance before player-of-the-match, Modester Mupachikwa, saved the batting innings following a collapse in the middle stages.
Zimbabwe won the toss and elected to field first and they bowled Papua New Guinea for just 125 runs in 35,4 overs. They went on to chase down the target in 42,3 overs.
The Lady Chevrons made three changes to the team that played in the series opener on Sunday.
Francisca Chipare, Kudzai Chigora and Pellagia Mujaji came in for Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano, Audrey Mazvishaya and Nomvelo Sibanda.
Vice-captain Josephine Nkomo and Chipare led from the front with the ball.
In her eight-over spell, Nkomo finished with impressive figures of 3/18, surpassing her previous best of 3/25.
Her three scalps also saw her leapfrog Kelis Ndhlovu to be Zimbabwe’s leading wicket-taker in ODIs with 15.
Chipare, in 6, 4 overs, finished with figures of 3/15, which were also her best numbers in women’s ODIs.
Previously, she had not taken a wicket in six ODI innings. Teenager Kudzai Chigora claimed two scalps for 20 runs in five overs.
In their chase, the Lady Chevrons found themselves in a spot of bother, losing three wickets for 12 runs in a space of eight overs between the 20th and 28th over which left them on 78/6.
Watching wickets fall on the other end, Mupachikwa managed to keep the innings intact with a fine half century, sealing off the game and series.
“I had pressure when we were losing more wickets but, with my batting partners, we just talked about the processes in the changing room so that’s what we tried to do, get a run where there was a run, there was no need to do anything risky.”