ZIMBABWE Women cricket team fell to Ireland by 80 runs in the second One Day International match played at Harare Sports Club today.
All-rounder Josephine Nkomo starred with the bat scoring an unbeaten 86-ball 70 in a 121-minute occupation of the crease, albeit in defeat. History maker in the opening ODI played at the same venue on Tuesday. Mary-Anne Musonda scored 103 not out as she guided the team to victory in their first-ever ODI match. Today Musonda elected to field after winning the toss. However, Ireland came back a stronger side and were determined to win the match, and level the series 1-1 for another slip up would have put the Lady Chevrons on the cusp of winning the four-match ODI series.
Ireland’s opening stand of 135 between Gaby Lewis (65) and Leah Paul (95) showed how determined the visitors were to wrap up this encounter and make the series alive. Lewis was the first one to exit the scene for a quickfire 65 runs of 74 balls after she was clean bowled by Nkomo in the 26th over. Esther Mbofana struck three deliveries later when she trapped Amy Hunter LBW for one run to breathe some life into the Zimbabwe attack that had toiled for 25 overs without a wicket.
Irish Captain Laura Delany scored 35 runs before she was caught by Nomvelo Sibanda off Loreen Tshuma’s bowling, while Lorryn Phiri and Mbofana ran out Shauna Kavanagh (34) as wickets continued to tumble late in the innings. Ashley Ndiraya and Nkomo ran out Orla Prendergast for 23 runs, and the fall of Paul on 95, caught behind by wicketkeeper Modester Mupachikwa off-spinner Precious Marange after 40.3 overs, brought relief to Zimbabwe. But the damage had already been done as Ireland were on 219/4. Eventually, they scored 286/7 in their 50 overs.
Zimbabwe lost three wickets in the opening 16 overs, including first match centurion, Musonda, who Hunter caught off the bowling of Cara Murray for four runs. Mupachikwa, for the second time in two games, was run out for nine runs while fellow opener Chiedza Dhururu was lured out of her crease by Murray before wicketkeeper Mary Waldron broke the furniture.
Ndiraya (27) and Sibanda (27) scored identical double-digit scores, while Marange added 14 runs as Zimbabwe held on to their allotted overs scoring 206/9.
