Papua New Guinea Women vs Vanuatu Women, 5th Match (20 June 2025)

Match Summary

Papua New Guinea Women defeated Vanuatu Women by 31 runs in an exciting T20 match held at Amini Park, Port Moresby. Brenda Tau (23 runs) and Henao Thomas (27 runs) contributed significantly with the bat for PNG Women, while Isabel Toua delivered a stellar bowling performance, taking 3 wickets for just 8 runs. The player of the match was Isabel Toua for her impactful bowling.

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Detailed Match Highlights

Papua New Guinea Women Innings

• Papua New Guinea Women won the toss and elected to bat first.
• Their innings started cautiously but lacked big partnerships. Brenda Tau played a crucial knock of 23 runs off 25 balls (3 fours) and Henao Thomas anchored the innings with 27 runs off 46 balls (2 fours).
• Despite the middle-order collapse, PNG Women posted a total of 98/8 in 20 overs.
• Vicky Mansale was the standout bowler for Vanuatu Women, taking 3 wickets for 31 runs. Vanessa Vira also impressed with her economical spell of 2 wickets for just 4 runs in her 4 overs.

Key Moments

• Anna Griffin's sharp catch to dismiss Naoani Vare was a highlight in the field.
• A notable partnership of 27 runs between Brenda Tau and Henao Thomas helped PNG Women stabilize after early wickets.

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Vanuatu Women Innings

• Chasing 99, Vanuatu Women struggled to build momentum and were bowled out for 67 in 16.4 overs.
• Rachel Andrew top-scored for Vanuatu with 16 runs off 16 balls, but no other batter crossed 12 runs.
• PNG Women’s bowling attack was led by the fiery Isabel Toua, who took 3 wickets for just 8 runs in 4 overs, including a maiden.
• Geua Tom also delivered a critical spell, picking up 2 wickets for 3 runs in 2 overs.

Key Moments

• Brenda Tau's lightning-fast stumping of Nasimana Navaika off Isabel Toua’s bowling turned the game early.
• PNG Women’s fielding was on point, with two run-outs and Lakshmi Rajadurai taking a sharp catch to dismiss Rayline Ova.

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Match Insights

• Top Scorers (Batting):

  • For Papua New Guinea Women: Henao Thomas (27 runs) and Brenda Tau (23 runs).
  • For Vanuatu Women: Rachel Andrew (16 runs).

• Bowling Heroes:

  • Isabel Toua's magical spell of 3/8 in 4 overs was the highlight of the match. She bowled with precision and consistently troubled the batters.
  • For Vanuatu Women, Vanessa Vira and Vicky Mansale shared the workload with 2 and 3 wickets, respectively.

• Fielding Brilliance:

  • Anna Griffin and Nasimana Navaika were sharp in the field, contributing with crucial catches.
  • PNG Women executed two run-outs, showcasing their agility and awareness.

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Sequence of Events

1. PNG Women elected to bat and lost early wickets, with Naoani Vare and Melanie Ani departing cheaply.
2. A steady partnership between Brenda Tau and Henao Thomas provided some resistance.
3. Vanuatu Women’s bowlers, especially Vicky Mansale, restricted PNG Women to 98 runs.
4. Vanuatu Women’s chase faltered from the beginning as they kept losing wickets at regular intervals.
5. Isabel Toua’s exceptional bowling dismantled Vanuatu Women’s batting lineup, ensuring a comfortable win for PNG Women.

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Key Performances

• Half-Century Alert: None.
• Bowling Excellence:
  • Isabel Toua (PNG Women) – 3/8 in 4 overs.
  • Vanessa Vira (Vanuatu Women) – 2/4 in 4 overs.
  • Geua Tom (PNG Women) – 2/3 in 2 overs.

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Papua New Guinea Women’s all-around performance secured a convincing win, with their bowlers, led by Isabel Toua, stealing the show!