By YVONNE SAKALA –
CHAMPIONS Mufulira suffered a shock 42-run home defeat at the hands of Nchanga as the Copperbelt Cricket Association (CCA) Girls Developmental League got underway at the weekend.
It was the hosts Mufulira who won the toss and opted to field first.
Nchanga opener Dinah Feleque departed for a first ball duck, while fellow opener Exildah Chanda top scored with 22 before being run out.
Faith Bwalya contributed 20  runs with Pauline Chanda weighing in with 12 runs as Nchanga was dismissed for 125 runs in 32.3 overs.
Pick of the bowlers for Mufulira were Gift Namukwasa and Barbara Kalenga who both took three wickets as Elizabeth Musonda getting two wickets.
Mufulira batting second were bowled out for 83 runs in 26.5 overs.
The best bowlers for Nchanga were Esther Mulenga and Dinah Feleque who took three wickets apiece.
Exildah Chanda picked up two wickets and was named man-of-the-match for her contribution with the bat also.
Other games played saw Luanshya Royals defeat new league Ndola B by seven wickets after skittling them out for 36 runs in 13.3 overs.
Hosts Royals won the toss and elected to field first, in their innings Ndola B struggled with their batting as none of their batsmen were able to score double figures.
The best bowler for Luanshya was Mwaka Kachingwe who got three wickets, while batting second, Luanshya raced to their victory target in 6.1 overs with Tina Bwalya hitting an unbeaten 15 runs.
Meanwhile, in Ndola, the hosts defeated Nkana by one wicket in a game played at Kanini Sports Club.
Ndola won the toss and elected to field first, their bowlers fully exploited the over cast conditions to restrict Nkana to 53 runs all out in 13.3 overs.
Opener Martha Mulenga was the only one to score double figures of 13 runs.
Ndola chased down the target in 11 overs despite a late rally by Nkana bowlers, led by Mutukwa Kalaluka who picked up four wickets with a hat-trick in fourth over spell.