The 20th match of the ICC Women’s Emerging Nations Trophy 2025, featuring Papua New Guinea Women against Scotland Women turned out to be a thrilling contest, culminating in a well-executed chase by Scotland to secure a six-wicket win.
After winning the toss, PNG Women opted to bat first, but their innings got off to a disastrous start. On just the third ball of the game, opening batter Konio Oala was dismissed for a duck, leaving PNG at a precarious 0/1. However, in a moment of hope, Hollan Doriga and Naoani Vare came together to stabilise the innings.
Vare made a quick 12 runs off 15 balls before being dismissed in the sixth over. By this point, Doriga was well-settled at the crease. She played a remarkable innings, scoring 63 runs off 51 balls, including nine boundaries, anchoring PNG’s innings through the middle overs.
As partnerships fluctuated, PNG struggled to find momentum. After Vare’s dismissal, the team reached 41/2 and got to 100-run mark by the 14.6 over when Doriga was finally out, leaving the score at 100/3. The rest of the lineup faltered, with Brenda Tau contributing only 12 runs off 23 balls.
Other batters failed to make an impact, with Siaka and Pokana both falling for ducks, while Isabel Toua’s run-out added to the woes, as she managed just 3 runs. The tail-end batters, Hane Tau and Geua Tom, could only muster 8* and 3*, respectively, as PNG limped to a total of 118/8 after their 20 overs, a subpar score given the conditions.
Scotland Women’s bowling was a disciplined effort that shone through during the match. Chloe Abel was the standout performer, obliterating the PNG middle and lower order with remarkable figures of 5 wickets for just 13 runs in her four overs, effectively halting any scoring momentum. Support came from Rachel Slater (1/21) and Priyanaz Chatterji (1/24), while Olivia Bell, Katherine Fraser, and Darcey Carter applied pressure without conceding significant runs.
When it came time to chase down 119, Scotland faced an early challenge. Opener Ailsa Lister (4) was dismissed quickly, leaving the team at 7/1 in the first over. However, Darcey Carter and Ellen Watson formed the backbone of the chase, with Carter scoring 30 off 41 balls and Watson adding 26 off 31. Their partnership of 51 runs propelled Scotland to a comfortable position at 58/2 by the 11.5 over.
As the innings unfolded, Scotland maintained a steady pace. When Carter was out in the 14.3 over at 74/3, the chase still felt under control. The experienced Sarah Bryce, captaining the side and donning the gloves, entered the fray and made a composed contribution of 39 runs from 29 balls, solidifying the foundation laid by her teammates. Megan McColl added a quick 14 runs, and Scotland eventually reached 121/4 in just 19.5 overs.
Extras were minimal throughout the innings, totaling just 4 runs. Scotland’s calculated approach highlighted their dominance and composure, particularly following the solid partnership between Watson and Carter.
On the bowling front for PNG, efforts were made but the returns were limited. Henao Thomas and Isabel Toua each claimed a wicket (Thomas: 1/32 in 3.5 overs; Toua: 1/24 in 4 overs). Unfortunately, Mairi Tom, Siaka, and Hane Tau bowled well but couldn’t capture any wickets, conceding 13, 22, and 26 runs, respectively.
