Mutasa four-for steers Zimbabwe to victory
Zimbabwe Women rallied around its middle-order batters and Nomatter Mutasa’s 4 for 28 to set up a 36-run win over Thailand Women in a Group A game of the ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifiers 2017 at the Mercantile Cricket Association Ground in Colombo on Friday (February 10).
Mary-Anne Musonodo, the No. 3 batter, top scored with 35, as Zimbabwe, after being asked to bat first, posted 191 for 8 in 50 overs. Thailand was bowled out for 155 in 47.3 overs.
Thailand lost the game, but it produced the moment of the match when Sornnarin Tippoch, the captain, took a spectacular catch at mid-off in the last over of Zimbabwe’s innings. Josephine Nkomo, the No. 8 batter, who was in an aggressive mode, having scored 27 brisk runs with two fours, hit a full ball outside the offstump from Ratanaporn Padunglerd with a tight bottom hand. The ball went in the air at a fast pace, but Tippoch timed her dived towards the right perfectly to take the catch inches above the ground.
A truly amazing one handed diving catch from Thailand Women's Sornnarin Tippoch, has become the leading contender for the catch of the tournament at the ICC Women's World Cup Qualifier in Sri Lanka
The other takeaway for Thailand from the game was that it picked up a wicket off the first ball when Chanida Sutthiruang trapped Modester Mupachikwa in front of the stumps. Zimbabwe soon became 24 for 2, but then a 40-run stand between Musonodo and Ashley Ndiraya (28) steadied the innings.
After Tippoch dismissed Musondo in the 20th over, Ndiraya and Sharne Mayers, the captain who made 29, added 43 runs to build a strong base.
Thailand scripted a mini-comeback when it picked up three wickets in a space of 14 runs to reduce Zimbabwe to 121 for 6 in 38.2 overs. It fell upon Precious Marange and Nkomo to revive the innings, and they did that in style – putting on 48 runs at six runs per over. They hit six fours during their association before Suleeporn Laomi, the teenaged legspinner, removed Marange for 34 in the 47th over.
Taseem Granger made an unbeaten run-a-ball 12 to ensure that Zimbabwe was not bowled out. Sutthiruang picked up two wickets for Thailand, but Nattaya Boochatham (10-3-17-1) and Tippoch (10-2-27-1) were its most economical bowlers.
Thailand started its chase with a bang as Nattakam Chantam hit a four and six to race to 10. She was, however, dismissed in the fifth ball of the innings.
Wickets kept falling regularly after that, but Tippoch led from the front with a knock of 50 to ensure that Thailand batted deep. She was the last wicket to fall, giving Mutasa her fourth scalp, to end the game with just 2.3 overs left.
Thailand will play its final league game against Ireland Women at the same venue, while Zimbabwe takes on Sri Lanka Women at Nondescripts Cricket Club. Both the matches are on February 11.