By Faith Munezero
Match summary - Game One
Zimbabwe 102/8 in 20 overs (Anesu Catherine Mushangwe 20 off 21 balls, Modester Mupachikwa 21 off 25 balls; Mercyline Ochieng 2/16 in 4 overs, Mary Mwangi 2/17 in 4 overs, Daisy Njoroge 2/7 in 2 overs) beat Kenya 96/9 in 20 overs (Margaret Ngoche 27 off 40 balls, Venasa Ooko 15 off 9 balls; Granger Tasmeen 3/18 in 4 overs) by 6 runs.
Player of the Match: Granger Tasmeen (Zimbabwe)
Game 2
Uganda 110/10 in 20 overs (Consy Aweko 22 off 13 balls, Damalie Busingye 18 off 17 balls; Quentoor Abel 5/18 in 2.5 overs, Margaret Ngoche 3/13 in 4 overs) beat Kenya 76/10 in 20 overs (Margaret Ngoche 24 off 25 balls, Quentoor Abel 17 off 15 balls) by 34 runs.
Player of the Match: Quentoor Abel (Kenya)
Sunday, April 7- Lugogo Oval
9.30am: Uganda vs. Kenya
2.40pm: Uganda vs. Zimbabwe
Nervy Finish for Zimbabwe
The Victoria Tri-Series bowled off with the Lady Chevrons from Zimbabwe taking on the Simbaresses from Kenya. Kenya won the toss and elected to bowl. The Lady Chevrons began steadily at five runs an over, they managed 50 runs before losing their first wicket to Mary Mwangi in the ninth over with top scorer Modester Mupachikwa departing for 21 runs.
Anesu Mushangwe, Josephine Nkomo (12 off 20 balls) and Precious Marange (17 off 17 balls) were the only other players to make post double digits, with Kenya's Mercyline Ochieng, Venasa Ooko and Quentoor Abel taking not only their wickets but the lower order as well to limit the Lady Chevrons to 102/8 at innings' end.
With 10 runs off the first over, Kenya was off to a flying start but within five overs the Lady Chevrons had claimed two wickets. Player of the Match Tasmeen Granger took three wickets that included Kenya's captain Ngoche. The wickets came in easier with three more departing for single figures before Venasa Ooko took the crease. She put on a rapid 15 runs off 9 balls before run out by Nkomo. At 84/7 after 17 overs, the game could still go either way.
Zimbabwe held their nerve to win the game, however, after a tense last over that saw a spirited chase from Kenya. The Simbaresses required 11 runs with two wickets left, off the last over to win the game, but Nomvelo Sibanda bowled a mean last spell conceding just five runs, taking a wicket in the process to win by six runs.
Convincing Uganda brush aside Kenya
The Lady Cricket Cranes were all smiles after bowling out Kenya for 76 runs in the 17th over to win their first game against Kenya by 34 runs. Kenya won the toss, opting to field, thus sending Uganda in to bat. The Lady Cricket Cranes got off to a quiet start, posting 50 runs by the end of 10 overs, losing three wickets in the process. Ngoche was the main architect taking all three wickets of stroke-maker Damalie Biusingye (18 off 17 balls, including two boundaries) and Naomi Kayondo (naught) and Rachael Ntono dismissed before doing much damage.
Janet Mbabazi (17 off 20 balls) and Rita Musamali (12 off 25 balls) steadied ship for a while before the former was run out attempting a suicidal one. Immaculate Nakisuyi put on 13 runs off 14 balls before unnecessarily getting stumped. Spinner Consy Aweko put on a quick 22* off 13 balls to push Uganda to 110 runs before Quentoor Abel took the reigns in the bowling department, with her fiver-fer in 2.5 overs costing just 18 runs to have the Lady Cricket Cranes all out inside 19 overs.
The second innings started slow and steady for Kenya who put on 37/1 in seven overs with Aweko's spin (0/10 in 4 overs) keeping the batters at bay before Musamali struck with two scalps. Ngoche top scored for the side with 24 off 25 runs before falling to a well executed run out by the Musamali/Kayondo duo. Quentoor Abel (17 off 15 balls) and Venasa Ooko (13* off 8 balls) were the only other players to make double figures, with spinner Stephanie Nampiina (1/13 in 2 overs) and Immaculate Sukiyaki (3/18 in 2.5 overs) quickly getting rid of the lower order to win the game.
Double header day for
The Lady Chevrons will be itching to avenge their loss to the Lady Cricket Cranes at the T20 Africa Qualifier two years ago and Zimbabwe Women T20 Challenge last year. Zimbabwe will be looking to capitalise on their first win to keep the momentum and will look to Mupachikwa, Mushangwe and Marange to keep the form.
Uganda will then face Kenya in the afternoon for their second game together in the round robin format. Kayondo and Ntono will need to put on the much needed runs as well Damalie Busingye. Kenya's Ngoche has had an all round performance so far and will be one to look out for, as well as Quentoor, Mwangi and Ochieng for the bowling department. They will be looking to get their first win of the tournament.
The Lady Cricket Cranes will be looking for wins in both games, to keep ahead of the pack and the coveted place in the trophy final within their reach.