South Africa Emerging Women – 238 all out in 49.3 overs (Anneke Bosch 109, Michaela Andrews 35, Annerie Dercksen 33; Tasmeen Granger 3/26, Nomvelo Sibanda 3/49, Loryn Phiri 2/51)
Zimbabwe Women – 169-9 in 50 overs (Christabel Chatonzwa 54, Josephine Nkomo 30, Modester Mupachikwa 22; Masabata Klaas 2/21, Nondumiso Shangase 1/13, Michaela Andrews 1/22)
South Africa Emerging Women won by 69 runs
South Africa Emerging Women completed a clean sweep in the five-match one-day series against Zimbabwe Women with a 69-run win in the final game at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo on Wednesday.
Although they finally managed to bowl out the tourists for the first time in this series after putting them in to bat first – 238 all out with three deliveries to go – it was still a familiar story with the bat for the home side.
Christabel Chatonzwa’s half-century was the best Zimbabwe Women could offer in response before they saw out their 50 overs at 169 for nine to hand the visitors another big victory.
With their regular opening pair of Andrie Steyn and Tazmin Brits rested for the final match, the South African side commenced their batting with Robyn Searle and Annerie Dercksen.
They put up 20 runs before Nomvelo Sibanda had Searle’s furniture re-arranged in the seventh over, sending her back to the pavilion for 15.
After sending the following delivery wide, Sibanda struck with her very next as she bowled Nondumiso Shangase for a golden duck to reduce the visitors to 21 for two.
Soon after they reached three digits, Loryn Phiri dismissed Dercksen for 33; 101 for three in the 23rd over.
With only 15 runs added to the total, Phiri did it again in her next over, bowling Leah Jones for five.
At 131, South Africa Emerging Women lost their fifth wicket after Masabata Klaas was dismissed, caught and bowled for two by Tasmeen Granger in the 30th over.
Anneke Bosch and Michaela Andrews stabilised the innings with a sixth-wicket stand worth 50 runs before the latter departed for 35 to a delivery from Granger, caught by Audrey Mazvishaya, in the 38th over.
Ten deliveries later and with only nine runs added to the total, they were seven wickets down after Khayakazi Mathe was bowled for one by Granger.
Bosch reached her century, with 11 fours and one six, off 90 balls.
Her brilliant innings however soon came to an end for 109 as she became Sibanda’s third victim of the match in the 45th over, but by then she had lifted her side to 225.
Mazvishaya trapped Jané Winster (4) lbw and Jade de Figueiredo chipped in with 16 before she became the last wicket to fall, caught at the wicket off a Marange delivery in the final over.
South Africa Emerging Women were all out for 238, with three balls remaining.
Granger and Sibanda were the most successful bowlers with three wickets apiece, while Phiri claimed two.
Zimbabwe Women got their chase underway with Chiedza Dhururu and Modester Mupachikwa, but once again they suffered an early setback.
In the fifth over, Dhururu was given out trapped lbw by Klaas, having faced 12 balls without getting off the mark; 16 for one.
The next batter in, Pellagia Mujaji, only faced two deliveries before she was caught at the wicket, off the same bowler, to return to the pavilion for a duck.
At 37, in the 15th over, it was three down after Mupachikwa was run out for 22.
Chatonzwa and Josephine Nkomo added 64 runs for the fourth wicket, in the process bringing up the team 100 in the 35th over.
The partnership collapsed after Nkomo was adjudged lbw, having contributed 30, including four boundaries, off 55 balls.
Chatonzwa reached her fighting fifty, with six fours, off 109 balls.
She finally departed for 54 in the 41st over, her impressive effort having boosted Zimbabwe Women to 129 for five.
At that stage, they still needed 110 runs from 59 balls at a rate of about 11 an over.
However, apart from Marange’s 18 and Phiri’s 11, the home side had little else to offer, with Granger and Franscesca Chipare getting dismissed for six and one respectively.
Mazvishaya (9) and Sibanda (1) were both not out as Zimbabwe Women’s innings closed at 169 for nine, giving the tourists victory – their fifth in as many matches in this series – by a margin of 69 runs.
