West Indies Women defeated Zimbabwe Women by 91 runs in the third ODI at Harare Sports Club on Wednesday and took the three-match series 2-1. Hayley Matthews hit 118, and Shemaine Campbelle made 96 as the visitors posted 271 for 5 and then bowled the hosts out for 180.
Matthews and Campbelle Build the Foundation
Zimbabwe won the toss and chose to field first. West Indies started slowly and managed 38 runs in the first ten overs, with Matthews scoring 34 of them. Left-arm seamer Nomvelo Sibanda removed opener Realeanna Grimmond for 3 off 27 balls in the 11th over.
Matthews and Campbelle then added 160 runs for the second wicket in 168 balls. Matthews reached her fifty in 55 balls and her century in 98 deliveries, which included 15 fours and a six. Campbelle took 70 balls to reach her fifty and then scored her next 46 runs in 49 balls.
Matthews fell in the 39th over when she miscued a delivery from Sibanda and was caught by Francisca Chipare. Her innings of 118 came off 113 balls and included 18 fours and one six. Campbelle missed a second ODI century by four runs when Kelis Ndhlovu took a diving catch at midwicket off legspinner Beloved Biza. Jannillea Glasgow scored an unbeaten 26 off 21 balls, and Jahzara Claxton added 11 not out off seven, which lifted the total to 271 for 5. Sibanda and Biza each took two wickets.
Zimbabwe Lose Early Wickets in the Chase
Zimbabwe lost both openers inside the first 14 balls. Kelis Ndhlovu fell to Glasgow for 2, and Modester Mupachikwa was caught by Grimmond at deep midwicket off Zaida James for 4. Grimmond ran in from the rope and dived forward to take the catch.
Wickets continued to fall at regular intervals. Ashmini Munisar finished with 2 for 32 in ten overs, Glasgow took 2 for 37 in 8.3 overs, and Aaliyah Alleyne claimed 2 for 39. Afy Fletcher and James each took one wicket. Zimbabwe lost two batters to run-outs as well, and the innings ended in the 48th over at 180.
Captain Josephine Nkomo was the only Zimbabwe batter to offer a long stay at the crease. She scored 74 not out off 109 balls with five fours and a six, which was her sixth ODI fifty and two runs short of her highest ODI score. Nkomo ran out of partners at the other end, and no other batter passed 25. Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano made 25, the next best score.
Matthews Wins Both Match and Series Awards
Matthews received the Player of the Match award for her 118 and also took the Player of the Series award after she finished with 326 runs across the three matches. She scored her second century of the series in this game. She had also missed a double century in the first ODI.
The result gave West Indies two points in the ICC Women’s Championship. Zimbabwe did not receive any points from the match.
Campbelle’s Fitness Becomes a Concern for West Indies
Campbelle left the field in the eighth over of Zimbabwe’s chase after she held her chest and went down. She was stretchered off, and Mandy Mangru kept wickets for the rest of the innings. West Indies have not yet shared an update on her condition.
Matthews missed the T20I leg of the tour for personal reasons, which made Campbelle a candidate to lead the side in the ODI series. The team will now wait for medical information before it plans for its next assignment.
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