Thailand Women – 199-4 in 50 overs (Naruemol Chaiwai 67*, Chanida Sutthiruang 55*, Nannapat Koncharoenkai 37; Josephine Nkomo 2/37, Tasmeen Granger 1/14, Nomvelo Sibanda 1/38)
Zimbabwe Women – 200-3 in 45 overs (Josephine Nkomo 57*, Mary-Anne Musonda 50*, Ashley Ndiraya 40; Ratanaporn Padunglerd 2/35, Sornnarin Tippoch 1/38)
Zimbabwe Women won by seven wickets
Josephine Nkomo put in a terrific all-round shift as Zimbabwe Women coasted to a seven-wicket victory over Thailand Women in the first one-day match at Takashinga in Harare on Wednesday.
An unbeaten 57, with six boundaries, capped off her fine performance, having earlier claimed two wickets.
Nkomo found able support from captain Mary-Anne Musonda who scored a brilliant 50 not out as the duo’s unbroken fourth-wicket stand of 105 took the home side across the line with a whole five overs to spare.
Zimbabwe Women won the toss and opted to field first, and within five overs the tourists were two wickets down, with only 17 runs on the board.
First, Nkomo bowled Wongpaka Liengprasert for a duck before she completed a catch to dismiss Nattaya Boochatham for six, the bowler in this instance being Nomvelo Sibanda.
Thailand Women then became bogged down as they could only add 18 runs in the next 7.1 overs before they lost Natthakan Chantham for six off 33 balls, with Tasmeen Granger claiming the scalp.
Nannapat Koncharoenkai ground out a dogged 37, with three fours, off 71 deliveries before Nkomo struck again, reducing the visitors to 96 for four in the 30th over.
That, however, was to be their last wicket to fall as Naruemol Chaiwai and Chanida Sutthiruang went on to muster a 103-run partnership that lifted Thailand Women to 199 for four in their allotted 50 overs.
Nkomo, with two wickets for 37 runs off her 10 overs, was the pick of the Zimbabwe Women bowlers.
Ashley Ndiraya and Christabel Chatonzwa came out to get the chase underway and they began steadily, contributing 59 before the opening pair was parted in the 14th over.
Chatonzwa, who made 22 including four boundaries off 44 balls, was the first to fall when she was caught at the wicket by Koncharoenkai off the bowling of Sornnarin Tippoch.
Ndiraya stayed on for nearly five more overs before she was dismissed for 40 – an impressive knock that contained four fours and came off 54 deliveries – by Ratanaporn Padunglerd, with Onnicha Kamchomphu completing the catch.
Modester Mupachikwa then became the last wicket to fall in the innings when Padunglerd struck again, bowling her for a 31-ball 20, with two boundaries, leaving the hosts on 95 for three after 25 overs.
At this stage, 105 more runs were still needed and the pair of Musonda and Nkomo barely broke a sweat as they both scored unbeaten half-centuries to hand Zimbabwe Women a convincing seven-wicket victory.
Musonda’s effort included eight fours, with her 50 coming off 68 deliveries.
Nkomo faced 74 balls for her 57, with six boundaries
The two sides will meet again in the second one-dayer at the same venue on Friday.
