Rhinos – 168-6 in 20 overs (Ben Curran 62, Brad Evans 34*, Tashinga Musekiwa 29; Ali Asfand 3/20, Newman Nyamhuri 1/33, Jalat Khan 1/36)
Southern Rocks – 141-8 in 20 overs (Johnathan Campbell 42*, Roy Kaia 24, Tafadzwa Tsiga 19; Trevor Gwandu 3/27, Antum Naqvi 2/17, Maaz Khan 1/19)
Rhinos won by 27 runs
It was a meeting between the top two sides on the points table at this stage, and Rhinos emerged on top after posting a competitive total and then applying early pressure with the ball.
Curran anchored the Rhinos innings with a fine 62, holding things together after a shaky start.
Of his first four partners, three were dismissed by left-arm spinner Ali Asfand, and the highest individual contribution among them was just 13 by Nyasha Mayavo, leaving Rhinos 82 for four.
Curran occupied the crease for 16 of the 20 overs, scoring his runs off 45 balls and striking eight fours.
He was the fifth wicket to fall at 119.
Tashinga Musekiwa added impetus with 29 off 22 deliveries, before Brad Evans provided a blistering finish.
Coming in for the final four overs after Curran’s dismissal, Evans struck an unbeaten 34 from just 13 balls, clearing the ropes twice and hitting three fours.
Rhinos closed on 168 for six, with Asfand the standout bowler for Rocks, claiming three wickets for 20 runs from his four overs.
Rocks’ reply suffered an immediate blow as Gwandu struck twice in his opening over, removing Ashley Mufandauya (6) and Innocent Kaia (4) to leave the innings in early trouble at 19 for two.
At 23, Lennox Chando was dismissed by Evans for 13, and although Roy Kaia (24) and Johnathan Campbell took the score to 62, Rocks were constantly battling to keep pace.
Campbell contributed a determined 42 not out, but he was never quite able to match the required run rate, and his later partners failed to provide sustained support.
Rocks eventually finished on 141 for eight, surrendering top spot on the table to their opponents.
Gwandu completed a fine bowling performance with figures of three wickets for 27 runs.
Tuskers – 152-6 in 20 overs (Milton Shumba 65*, Tawanda Maposa 38, Brian Chari 17; Brian Bennett 4/26, Shafi Ullah 1/25, Wellington Masakadza 1/28)
Mountaineers – 80-4 in 12.1 overs (Nick Welch 42*, Alistair Frost 14*, Tinashe Chiorah 10; Tawanda Maposa 3/17, Ernest Masuku 1/11)
Tuskers won by nine runs (Duckworth-Lewis method)
Milton Shumba and Tawanda Maposa were the standout performers as Tuskers recorded their first victory of the tournament, edging Mountaineers by nine runs via the Duckworth-Lewis method in the second match at Kwekwe Sports Club on Monday afternoon.
Electing to bat first, Tuskers endured an innings of fits and starts, with Shumba the lone figure of stability in the top order.
They stumbled to 92 for five in the 13th over, with four of those wickets falling to an impressive spell from Brian Bennett.
Only Brian Chari (17) among the other top-order batters reached double figures, and he shared a vital 55-run third-wicket partnership with Shumba over seven overs.
Late acceleration came through Maposa, who provided the support Shumba needed with a belligerent 38 off 26 balls.
The sixth-wicket stand added 60 runs in seven overs and lifted Tuskers to a competitive total.
Maposa was dismissed off the penultimate delivery of the innings, while Shumba remained unbeaten on an invaluable 65 from 54 balls, an innings that included two sixes and five fours.
Tuskers finished on 152 for six.
Bennett was the pick of the Mountaineers bowlers with four wickets for 26 runs from his four overs, though he could not replicate that impact with the bat, falling to Maposa for nine.
The Mountaineers innings followed a similar pattern to that of Tuskers, with four early wickets and one batter standing out.
That was Nick Welch, who struck an unbeaten 42 off just 29 balls, including three sixes and a four.
Welch had begun to find reliable support from Alistair Frost, who came in at 48 for four and had reached 14 not out when rain interrupted play with the score on 80 for four in the 13th over.
Play could not be resumed, and Tuskers were adjudged winners.
Maposa capped a fine all-round display by also claiming three wickets for 17 runs from three overs, effectively stalling the Mountaineers’ chase.
2025/26 DOMESTIC T20 COMPETITION POINTS TABLE
| TEAM | M | W | L | T | NR | PTS | NRR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rhinos | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 1.720 |
| Southern Rocks | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 0.195 |
| Eagles | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 1.216 |
| Tuskers | 5 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 3 | -1.387 |
| Mountaineers | 5 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 3 | -1.426 |
