MORO Stars Women have gallantly opened their campaign in the Morogoro Development League 2025-Women, having hammered SUA Queens by nine wickets in Morogoro recently.

The match, held at the Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) venue, witnessed the female cricketers showcase impressive displays to usher in an interesting start to the title chase.

Team skipper Tuliana Essau and Aziza Ally were the cricketers whose notable showings propelled SUA Queens to a convincing triple-digit figure, once the squad went in to bat first, given the squad eventually scored 121/7 in the scheduled 20 overs.

Tuliana had the best outing at the crease, having ended eight runs short of a half-century at a strike rate of 150.00 whilst nailing five fours along the way.

The skipper, who opened the innings with Martha Ekalist, efficiently made up for a less impressive spell the latter experienced after she exited the crease with just four runs off seven knocks.

Efforts by  SUA Queens to end their batting spell with an imposing figure were greatly boosted by Aziza, deployed at number three, given she posted 29 runs at a strike rate of 53.70.

Failure by fellow batters to prove their worth with the bat, though, frustrated the SUA Queens’ attempt to amass a bigger figure.

Munira Salum was, so far, the other cricketer whose knocks substantiated her efforts to positively chip in for SUA Queens’, given she was four runs short of a two-digit figure.

Antoneta Ibrahim secured 3-27, which had the cricketer end up with a 6.75 economy rate, whereas Rose Feruzi ended her stint with 2-6 and the eventual 3.00 economy rate in a worthy effort by Moro Stars Women’s bowling unit to contain the SUA Queens batters.

Even though they were chasing a tricky target of 122 runs, the Sonia Chachala–led Moro Stars Women solidly made a successful chase after garnering 122/1 in 13 overs.

Boasting several competent players who also feature for the senior national women’s team, Moro Stars Women had little trouble chasing their opponents’ figure, dropping one wicket in their procession to the smooth win.

Swaum Salum was the most impressive cricketer in the chase, given she wound up with a stellar 58 runs at a strike rate of 131.82.

Swaum, one of the cricketers who also play for the senior national women’s team, nailed eight fours in a 44-ball blitz to deservedly walk away with the Player of the Match prize.

The opener solidly steadied Moro Stars Women’s turn with the bat, with the fellow opening batter Maria Emmanuel guiding the squad to victory.

Mary was equally ruthless when the eventual winners took the crease, having posted 42 runs not out at a strike rate of 120.00.

Twenty extras given away by the SUA Queens bowlers further made it easier for Moro Stars Women’s to canter to the victory and establish themselves as serious contenders for silverware in the showdown.

Albeit SUA Queens’ Nurath Kibwana claimed the scalp of Moro Stars Women’s opener, Swaum, the efforts did little to change the course of the clash.