All-rounder Annerie Dercksen produced a breathtaking half-century to help lead the SA Emerging Women to an emphatic eight-wicket triumph in the first T20 against the Zimbabwean national team at the Harare Sports Club in Harare on Sunday.
On a sunny afternoon in the capital city, SA Emerging was asked to field first. Having to bowl first did not phase the visitors as the South African bowling unit castled Zimbabwe top-order in the opening powerplay.
Jané Winster picked up the first wicket of the hosts’ captain Mary-Anne Musonda 5 (3) with the seventh ball of the match, before Marx struck twice in three deliveries in the fifth over to leave Zimbabwe reeling on 17/3.
From then on it went from bad to worse for the hosts as SA Emerging captain Leah Jones picked up the wicket of Ashley Ndiraya 1(3) as Zimbabwe ended the opening period of 20/4 after six overs.
In a valiant fight back, Josephine Nkomo was unbeaten on 34* (50) with four fours, in a contribution with middle-order batter Nyasha Gwanzura 26 (22) with four fours to her name, as Zimbabwe posted a hard-fought 96/7 in their allotted overs.
All-rounder Eliz-Mari Marx was the pick of the bowlers for South Africa with figures of 2/9 in her four overs.
In response SA Emerging came out guns blazing to make quick work of the run chase.
Dercksen and Andrie Steyn played aggressively. Dercksen smashed six fours and four sixes in her unbeaten 58* (30) as the SA chased down the target with 52 balls remaining, to take the 1-0 series lead in the six-match tournament.
SA Women Emerging Squad vs Zimbabwe:
Nobulumko Baneti
Annerie Dercksen
Mieke de Ridder
Jenna Evans
Lara Goodall
Leah Jones
Tebogo Macheke
Eliz-Mari Marx
Refilwe Moncho
Seshnie Naidu
Asakhe Nyovane
Tumi Sekhukhune
Nondumiso Shangase
Andrie Steyn
Jané Winster
SA Emerging Women vs Zimbabwe T20 Fixtures
19 November: SA Emerging Women beat Zimbabwe Women by 8 wickets
20 November, 14h00 CAT: 2nd T20 – SA Emerging Women vs Zimbabwe (Harare Sports Club, Harare)
22 November, 14h00 CAT: 3rd T20 – SA Emerging Women vs Zimbabwe (Harare Sports Club, Harare)
24 November, 12h00 CAT: 4th T20 – SA Emerging Women vs Zimbabwe (Takashinga Sports Club, Harare)
26 November, 12h00 CAT: 5th T20 – SA Emerging Women vs Zimbabwe (Takashinga Sports Club, Harare)
27 November, 12h00 CAT: 6th T20 – SA Emerging Women vs Zimbabwe (Takashinga Sports Club, Harare)
Photo Caption: The SA Emerging women’s cricket team celebrate after their opening 8-wicket win over hosts Zimbabwe in their 6-match series in Harare, from 19-27 November, 2023. Photo: Zimbabwe Women’s Cricket on X
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