The South American Women’s Championship delivered a compelling contest in Pocos de Caldas as Costa Rica Women squared off against Chile Women in the 2nd match of the tournament. Electing to take the field first after winning the toss, Costa Rica set out to stifle the Chilean batting lineup right from the opening overs.
Chile Women struggled early in their innings to build any meaningful momentum, facing tight line and length from Costa Rica’s opening attack. Yaritza Rodriguez was the first to fall for just 1 run off 7 balls, run out by Yoshanil Lewis and wicketkeeper Maria Cano in the third over. Shortly after, Chilean skipper Constanza Oyarce departed without scoring (0 off 10 balls), caught short by another sharp run-out executed by Lewis and Cano.
The top-order collapse deepened when Sofia Araya fell for a two-ball duck, caught by Lewis off Jazmin Molina’s bowling. Monserrat Montero managed just 2 runs off 11 balls before Saray Lara dismissed her, leaving the Chilean side in deep trouble at 14 for 4 in the 7th over.
With wickets tumbling rapidly, Florencia Martinez anchored one end cautiously, scoring 1 run off 31 deliveries before being caught by Lewis off the bowling of Wendy Morales. However, the middle order found much-needed resilience through Jessica Miranda, who played a crucial inning to stabilize the innings.
Miranda mounted a solid 48-run partnership alongside Franchesca Moya, who contributed 7 runs from 18 balls before becoming another run-out victimwas run out for a duck off the very same combination
Calderon then bowled Sofia Mardones for a duck, but Miranda stood firm, remaining unbeaten on 32 off 40 balls with five boundaries. Paz Ravanal stayed not out on 0 off 5 balls as Chile completed their 20 overs. Extra runs played a significant role, adding 43 runs to the board, including 26 wides and 15 no-balls.
Costa Rica’s bowling attack was disciplined and disciplined throughout. Yerin Molina opened with an economical spell of 0 for 6 in 4 overs, including a maiden. Jazmin Molina took 1 for 31 in 4 overs, while Saray Lara finished with figures of 1 for 13 from 3 overs. Wendy Morales added 1 for 16 in her 3 overs, Katheryn Calderon delivered a tight 1 for 4 in 2 overs, and Fernanda Arauz maintained pressure with 0 for 14 in 4 overs.
Chasing the target, Costa Rica Women kicked off their run chase with a steady, calculated opening stand. Openers Maria Miranda and Dunia Perez constructed a solid 47-run partnership for the first wicket, taking absolute control of the match. Perez accelerated the scoring with 23 runs off 29 balls before Constanza Oyarce provided the breakthrough for Chile, bowling Perez in the 9th over.
Skipper Maria Cano joined Maria Miranda at the crease to oversee the remainder of the chase. The pair formed an unbroken 40-run partnership for the second wicket. Miranda anchored the chase expertly, finishing unbeaten on 25 off 56 balls, which included a hit to the fence. Cano played a supporting role with a patient 9 off 26 balls. Costa Rica reached the required runs in 16.4 overs, supported by 30 extra runs concede by Chile (including 18 wides and 11 no-balls).
Among the Chilean bowlers, skipper Constanza Oyarce was the lone wicket-taker, recording figures of 1 for 16 in 3 overs. Jessica Miranda bowled tightly to concede only 7 runs in 4 overs with a maiden, though without taking a wicket. Florencia Martinez went wicketless with 0 for 24 in 3.4 overs, Sofia Mardones finished with 0 for 18 in 3 overs, Sofia Araya conceded 12 in 2 overs, and Alejandra Zuniga bowled 1 over for 9 runs.
Costa Rica Women sealed a comfortable victory in the end, showcasing disciplined bowling in the first half and composed batting partnerships to cross the finish line with balls to spare.
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Source: femalecricket.com
