Skipper Andrie Steyn's ton helps South Africa Emerging side beat Zimbabwe in series opener

five-match series will be played on Thursday (May 20) at the same ground.

Put into bat by the hosts, Steyn started aggressively scoring 23 off 23 before she lost her opening partner Tazmin Brits to first delivery off Tasmeen Granger for 11 in the eighth over with the score reading 37. Granger stuck again in the 12^th over to remove Robyn Searle for seven to leave South Africa emerging at 51 for 2 in 11.3.

However, that brought Nondumiso Shangase to the crease and she put on 85 runs for the third wicket with her skipper. In the 23^rd over, Steyn brought up her fifty from 66 balls with a single off Lorraine Phiri. Although Precious Marange removed Shangase for 43 in the 32^nd over, Steyn formed another crucial partnership with Anneke Bosch for the visitors to take the score to 207 for 4 in 45.1 overs.

During the course of the 71-run partnership with Bosch, Steyn reached her century from 132 balls. Her knock included nine hits to the fence. They lost Steyn soon after her hundred to a run out and Nomvelo Sibanda stuck twice to remove Delmi Tucker and Tebogo Macheke, Bosch’s 47-ball 46 helped them reach 232 for 7 from the stipulated 50 overs.

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For Zimbabwe, Granger was the most successful bowler with figures of 3 for 44 from her ten overs while Sibanda took two wickets.

In reply, Zimbabwe lost Chiedza Dhururu early when Michaela Andrews had her caught by Steyn in the second over. The hosts soon found themselves at 34 for 2 in the tenth over when Andrews sent Pellagia Mujaji back for seven. Opener Modester Mupachikwa fell to Jané Winster for 29 to leave them reeling at 57 for 3 in 14.4 overs.

Even though Christabel Chatonzwa and skipper Josephine Nkomo added 50 runs for the fourth wicket, they took their time and asking rate kept climbing up. When Chatonzwa eventually became Andrews’ third victim Zimbabwe needed 126 runs from 16.2 overs.

From there it was too steep a hill to climb for the home side even as Marange played an entertaining knock scoring 41 off 42 balls before she fell to Masabata Klaas in the 47^th over. Meanwhile Nkomo brought up her fifty from 92 balls with a boundary off Nonkululeko Mlaba. Nkomo remained not out on 70 as her side fell 32 runs short. Zimbabwe finished on 200 for 5 from their 50 overs.

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For South Africa Emerging, Andrews finished with figures of 3 for 48 from her ten overs.

Brief Scores: South Africa Emerging 232/7 in 50 overs (Andrie Steyn 100, Anneke Bosch 46; Tasmeen Granger 3/44) beat Zimbabwe 200/5 in 50 overs (Josephine Nkomo 70*, Precious Marange 41; Michaela Andrews 3/48) by 32 runs