South Africa Women beat Zimbabwe Women by 14 runs in the fifth and final T20I at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo on Saturday and won the five-match series 5-0. Nthabiseng Nini took 3 for 19 to win the Player of the Match award, and Anneke Bosch received the Player of the Series award after scoring 214 runs and taking two wickets.
South Africa Women Post 164 for 6 After Choosing to Bat
South Africa won the toss and chose to bat. Miane Smit and Faye Tunnicliffe hit boundaries regularly in the opening overs, and the visitors reached 56 for 1 at the end of the powerplay. Michelle Mavunga removed Tunnicliffe lbw for 25 off 13 balls in the fourth over, and Smit fell for 30 off 22 balls when Beloved Biza had her caught by Kudzai Chigora.
Karabo Meso and captain Laura Wolvaardt both left for single-digit scores, which left South Africa at 79 for 4 in the 11th over. Kayla Reyneke and Bosch then added 75 runs for the fifth wicket. Bosch made 33 off 27 balls before Mavunga dismissed her in the final over, and Mavunga also had Annerie Dercksen lbw off the last ball for 8. Reyneke finished unbeaten on 34 off 31 balls. Mavunga ended with 3 for 46, and Zimbabwe’s bowlers conceded 20 wides in the innings.
Ndhlovu and Mugeri-Tiripano Take Zimbabwe to 102 for 2
Nyasha Gwanzura hit two fours and a six in her 16 before Ayanda Hlubi trapped her lbw in the third over. Nini caught and bowled Lorraine Pemhiwa for 2 in the next over, which left Zimbabwe on 22 for 2.
Kelis Ndhlovu and Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano then built the innings, and Zimbabwe was scoring above the required rate by the end of the 10th over. The pair took the total to 102 before Caitlin Wyngaard bowled Mugeri-Tiripano for 33 off 38 balls in the 14th over. Ndhlovu top-scored for Zimbabwe with 38 off 30 balls. Seshnie Naidu and Wyngaard bowled tight overs in the middle stage, which slowed the chase.
SUGGESTED READ: Laura Wolvaardt’s Record 126 Powers South Africa to 80-Run Win Over Zimbabwe
Hlubi and Nini Take Three Wickets Each as Zimbabwe Lose Six for 47
Hlubi bowled the 15th over, in which she dismissed Ndhlovu, caught by Dercksen, and Biza, caught by Bosch for a duck. Zimbabwe fell from 102 for 2 to 110 for 5 within two overs. Sharne Mayers scored 19 off 12 balls, but Nini removed her and captain Josephine Nkomo in the 18th over.
Mavunga was run out for 12 in the 20th over, and Zimbabwe finished on 150 for 8 after losing six wickets for 47 runs. Nini bowled four overs with one maiden and 15 dot balls for figures of 3 for 19, while Hlubi took 3 for 24. Wyngaard took 1 for 18 in her four overs.
South Africa Women won all five matches of the tour, which ended with the fifth T20I in Bulawayo.
For the latest cricket news and updates, follow JeetWin Sports.
