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Brandon Moyo, [email protected] 

LADY Chevrons lost their second warm-up match in the 2024 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifiers against Scotland by 32 runs, with opening batter Sharne Mayers scoring a gallant 102 runs (retired hurt) in their chase of a mammoth 198 runs target in Abu Dhabi, yesterday.

Zimbabwe’s qualification journey begins tomorrow when they face Vanuatu, with Mayers stating that they are taking it one game at a time and their main goal is to qualify for the World Cup. 

The Lady Chevrons are in Group B alongside Ireland, Netherlands, Vanuatu and the hosts UAE.

Mayers’ 102 runs came off 67 balls. Unfortunately for Mayers, the warm up games are not regulated as official games, so the statistics do not count.

Zimbabwe had restricted Scotland to 197/4 in their 20 overs and finished unbeaten on 165 in reply.

Speaking after the match, Mayers said it was a good batting track and she felt confident after the way their opponents batted. 

“For me, I felt so clear, I knew exactly what I wanted to do. We didn’t bowl well as much as we should have. Scotland scored 197, but it was a good track to bat on and knowing that they can score that many runs, I felt confident that I could do the same too. 

“The internal conversation was to keep going. One thing I did see when the Scottish batters were batting, we took a wicket in the power play, so the longer you stay out there, the easier it’s going to get, so that’s what I kept saying to myself and once I got the pace of the wicket, it then became easier and easier,” said Mayers. 

Although Vanuatu are considered as ‘minnows’, Mayers said they have nothing, but just respect for them.

She added that their main goal is to qualify for the World Cup. 

“Our goal is to qualify, but we will just take it one game at a time. We don’t want to get too far ahead of ourselves and worry about things that we have no control over, so it’s just to go through our processes and game one on the 25th is our main focus. 

“With Vanuatu, I remember being in a similar position many years ago. We don’t know too much about them, so it’s about going through our processes. We will take it as it comes, be very tactically aware, watch, observe and see what’s going on and plan as best as we can. So, that’s how we’re going to go about it and at the end of the day they have worked hard to get here and we can’t underestimate anyone. We have to take each game as a final as everybody is vying for a World Cup slot,” said Mayers. 

In yesterday’s encounter, Scotland won the toss and elected to bat.

They finished on 197/4 courtesy of two half centuries from Saskia Horley and Kathryn Bryce. The former finished unbeaten on 82 runs off 49 balls, while the skipper Bryce scored 66 runs from 34 balls. 

Mayers, Loreen Tshuma, Precious Marange and Audrey Mazvishaya took the four wickets that fell. 

Zimbabwe lost no wickets in their chase with openers, Mayers and Modester Mupachikwa retiring hurt. Mupachikwa made 43 runs off 49 balls. 

Kathrine Fraser was the most expensive bowler for Scotland, conceding 32 runs in her three-over spell. 

The top two teams from each group will proceed to the semi-finals, with the winners booking their tickets to Bangladesh, joining the likes of New Zealand, Australia, England, India, Pakistan, South Africa and the West Indies at the global show piece.

After tomorrow’s game against Vanuatu, the Lady Chevrons face UAE on Saturday and Ireland on Monday next week. They will conclude their group games against Netherlands on Wednesday. — @brandon_malvin