• Nigeria rises from the ashes to be crowned champions as they stun Rwanda in an epic grand finale battle.
• Peace Usen leads Nigeria to a historic victory with her 3rd player of the match performance against Rwanda.
• South Africa Women’s U-19 final push earns the team a well-deserved 3rd place victory over Zimbabwe Women’s U-19.
DAY 7: FINAL MATCH
Rwanda vs Nigeria
Clash of the Titans between two familiar teams and a rivalry spanning seven years.
Nigeria won the toss and elected to bat first as expected, hoping to set a decent total worth defending. The early overs were plagued with dot balls and surprisingly a maiden 4th over, as Nigeria never really got going. After 6 overs of batting power play, Nigeria Women were on 27 runs for the loss of 1 wicket. Esther Sandy was introduced, providing the required spark with a couple of boundaries to get Nigeria `back on track.
All that was halted when Ester Sandy was run out after contributing 26 runs off 28 balls. Captain Lucky Piety was introduced and as expected, she scored a couple of boundaries but was unlucky to be caught out for 17 runs off 15 Balls in 13.3 overs with Nigeria on 62 runs for the loss of 2 wickets.
From then, it was a free fall as Nigeria could not manage a decent partnership, losing the next 7 wickets for a combined 18 runs to finish with a total of just 80 runs all out in 20 overs.
The icing on the cake was captain Marie Diane Bimenyimana finishing with a hattrick of wickets as she consolidates her total wickets for the tournament with 14, leading the log.
In the second innings, Nigeria opening bowlers were tidy on the lines, giving nothing away in the first 2 overs to restrict Rwanda to just 3 runs. Rwanda stayed patient, scoring the first boundary in the 3rd over to finish with 7 runs. Peace Usen clawed back 2 quick wickets of the dangerous Fanny and Giselle as Rwanda finished the 5th over with 19 runs. At the end of the batting power play of 6 overs, Rwanda Women were on 23 runs still for the loss of 2 wickets.
Nigeria got another breakthrough when Clarisse Umutoniwase was dismissed for just 9 runs off 14 balls with Rwanda on 35 runs after 10 overs. Nigeria continued to fight as they managed to drag the game to 30 runs off 30 balls with 5 wickets left in the mix to be taken. 2 wickets for captain Lucky Piety flipped the game in favor of Nigeria for the first time as Rwanda required 24 runs off 20 balls. 3 wickets dropped quickly again with the last pair needing 17 runs off 11 balls.
Unbelieving to the literal eyes, maximum excitement laced with a full dose of panic for both teams but proper enjoyment for neutrals, Nigeria rose from the ashes to snatch what would be considered a remarkable victory against such arch rivals, becoming the least number of runs successfully defended in the history of this tournament. In the end, Rwanda finished agonizingly short with 71 runs all out in 20 overs.
Peace Usen finished with 3 wickets, conceding 18 runs in 4 overs, named player of the match for the 3rd time in 6 matches
Nigeria won by 9 runs to emerge Champions of the NCF Women’s Invitational Championship (Patricia Kambarami Cup)
Individual Awards
MVP – Marie Diane Bimeyinmana (Rwanda)
Best Batter – Beloved Biza (Zimbabwe)
Best Bowler – Peace Usen (Nigeria)
Best Fielder – Chukuonye Christabel (Nigeria)
*DAY 7: 3rd PLACE MATCH*
*Zimbabwe Women’s U-19 vs South Africa Women’s U-19*
The 3rd place match between Zimbabwe and South Africa had a lot at stake because Zimbabwe needed to have one over South Africa as neighbors and also for bragging rights.
South Africa won the toss and elected to bat first with Jeze Campher and Miya Lalor opening the batting. Miya was dismissed for 14 runs off 19 balls and Miya for 9 runs in 4.5 overs with South Africa on 28 runs. After a brief interruption by rain, South Africa changed gears to accelerate after the batting power play of 6 with Siphokuhle Masilela and captain Mieke Van Voorst.
At the end of 10 overs, South Africa Women were on 62 runs still for the loss of 2 wickets. South Africa finally crossed the century mark with Mieka with yet another half century before she was dismissed for 52 runs off 45 balls and South Africa on 109 runs. South Africa Women’s U-19 eventually finished with 133 runs for the loss of 5 wickets in their allotted 20 overs.
Daneli Boshoff with a late cameo of 23 runs off 17 balls not out.
Tadiwa Garutsa and Christina Mutasa both had 2 wickets conceding 24 and 14 runs respectively for Zimbabwe.
The second innings resumed with Beloved Biza and Nicollete Nyika. For the first time in the tournament, beloved didn’t click as she was dismissed for just one run off the 1st ball in the 2nd over. At the end of 6 overs of batting power play, Zimbabwe Women’s U-19 were 16 runs for the loss of 1 wicket.
Wickets fell every other over as Zimbabwe continued to struggle. In the end, Zimbabwe Women’s U-19 could only manage a total of 63 runs for the loss of 8 wickets in 20 overs.
Ashley Van Wyk got 2 wickets, conceding 12 runs in 4 overs supported by Daneli Boshoff with 2 wickets, conceding 8 runs in 3 overs as the best bowling contribution for South Africa Women’s U-19.
Daneli Boshoff was named player of the match
*South Africa Women’s U-19 won by 70 runs to finish 3rd position*
