Three weeks of intensive women cricket games came to an end

Malkerns: An exciting three weeks of intensive Eswatini Women Cricket games has come to an end

On May 22, 2021, at Malkerns Country Club, all the eight women cricket teams that were part of the tournament assembled at the venue as two fields were used for the games.

Three league matches had to be completed before the play-offs. In the first match group B table-toppers, Manzini Legends took on bottom-placed UNESWA, The students turned things around, chasing a target of 55 to beat the Legends by 6 wickets and the win moved UNESWA to 3rd place in group B log.

Group A table-toppers, Lubombo Butterflies took on bottom-placed Royals. The Royals batted first and put on 53/3 after 10 overs and found the way difficult as they kept losing wickets. After 10 overs, they managed to accumulate 41/6. The Butterflies won by 12 runs to cement their 1st place on the log standings. In another match, the Royals were able to win by walking over the Skyscrapers.

In the playoffs, the teams had to play their corresponding counterparts in the other group to make combined log standing, for 7th and 8th position, the Knights took on the Skyscrapers, The skyscrapers Batted first and made 32/5 after 10 overs, at the halfway stage it looked like the Knights will have a

Walk in the park but the Skyscrapers fought back immensely by taking regular wickets.

However, the knights were able to cross over the line with 2 wickets remaining, for 5th and 6th place Royals took on UNESWA. The UNESWA ladies won the toss and chose to insert the Royals to bat first. The Royals made 46 runs in their 10 overs. The UNESWA ladies made a mockery of the target as they chased it in 5.2 overs.

For 3rd and 4th place, Nhlangano Batters took on Charisma. The Batters won the toss and opted to bat first. The batters lived to their name and batted Charisma out of the game making 78 for 2 after 10 overs, the target was always going to be difficult for Charisma and they managed to make 44 in their allotted 10 overs. In the end, Nhlangano Batters won by 34 runs to take 3rd place in the overall standings.

In the final, the log leaders of each group came face to face as the Lubombo Butterflies took on Manzini Legends for the overall position 1. Manzini legends won the toss and elected to field first. Put in to bat first, the Butterflies with vital contributions with the bat from Captain Samukelsiwe Shongwe (13) and Vice-captain Phindo Dlamini (12), made 44 runs after 10 overs. Although the Legends did not turn up. Well with the bat, the Butterflies were let down by their bowling as they made 28 extras, The Legends won the match by 8 wickets.

Group A