Mountaineers – 168 all out in 35.2 overs (Brian Bennett 61, Kevin Kasuza 40, Spencer Magodo 19*; Tapiwa Mufudza 4/36, Wessly Madhevere 2/16, Alex Russell 2/51)
Eagles – 169-1 in 21.2 overs (Tinashe Kamunhukamwe 71*, Nick Welch 50, Kudzai Maunze 41*; Tendai Chatara 1/57)
Eagles won by nine wickets
Tinashe Kamunhukamwe’s fine form continued as his innings of 71 not out led Eagles to an easy nine-wicket victory over Mountaineers in their Pro50 Championship match at Mutare Sports Club on Sunday.
Mountaineers, put in to bat, were bowled out in only 35.2 overs for 168 runs, with Tapiwa Mufudza as so often taking the bowling honours as he claimed four middle-order wickets for 36 runs.
Brian Bennett was a good partner for him, and the score reached 96 before Kasuza was third out.
Bennett raced to 61 off 60 balls, but when he was lbw to Mufudza at 143 for five the wheels began to fall off.
Spencer Magodo scored 19 not out from number seven, but the tail collapsed badly, the last four batters scoring only three runs among them.
The total of 168 left almost 15 overs unbowled in their innings.
Nick Welch and Kamunhukamwe produced another of their dynamic opening partnerships, with Welch running to his 50 off 41 balls when he was out lbw to Tendai Chatara, having hit three sixes and four fours.
That was the only wicket to fall, as Kudzai Maunze also scored at better than a run a ball as he made 41 not out off 34 balls, at which point the match was won.
Kamunhukamwe’s unbeaten 71 came off 55 balls and included three sixes and eight fours.
Eagles have now won all their first six matches played in this List A competition.
Tuskers – 252-9 in 50 overs (Milton Shumba 67, Brian Chari 63, Clive Madande 26; Simon Mugava 3/34, Neville Madziva 3/42, Carl Mumba 2/28)
Rhinos – 249 all out in 48 overs (Antum Naqvi 100, Ben Curran 31, Tarisai Musakanda 31; Sean Williams 3/33, Ernest Masuku 2/41, Chris Mpofu 1/28)
Tuskers won by three runs
Not even another century from Antum Naqvi could preserve Rhinos’ winning record in this Pro50 Championship campaign, as in a thrilling finish Tuskers seized victory by three runs in their return match at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo on Sunday.
Tuskers, who decided to bat on winning the toss, did not make the best of starts, as they lost their opening pair for 34 runs, with Nkosana Mpofu failing to score and Clive Madande out for 26.
Sean Williams scored 23, but he was not at his most fluent, taking 36 balls over them, but then Brian Chari and Milton Shumba breathed new life into the innings with a fourth-wicket partnership of 98 in 21 overs.
Chari was then dismissed for 63 off 98 balls, while Shumba went on to score 67 off 88.
Both were removed by the off-spinner Simon Mugava, who has now returned to Zimbabwe after several years in the United Kingdom.
Unfortunately, the later batters failed to build on this good partnership, as only Brandon James (17 not out) reached double figures, and the innings tailed away to 252 for nine wickets off the full 50 overs.
Mugava took three wickets for 34 runs and Neville Madziva three for 42.
Ben Curran is back in Zimbabwe and opened the batting for Rhinos with Takudzwanaishe Kaitano.
They scored 31 and 21 respectively and put on 35 for the first wicket, when the dismissal of Kaitano brought in Naqvi.
Four wickets were down for 100, and then Tarisai Musakanda finally provided Naqvi with a reliable partner, scoring 31 as the pair added 88 for the fifth wicket.
When Musakanda went out at 188 for five Rhinos were well on course for victory, but the later batters failed to support him.
It was not as if Rhinos had a weak tail – quite the reverse, as Carl Mumba actually batted at number 11.
Eight were out for 219, but Mugava then stuck in as Naqvi went on to reach his century.
On exactly 100, though, Naqvi was run out by the wicketkeeper Madande, and Rhinos were 235 for nine.
Mugava made a gallant bid for victory, scoring 16 not out, but Mumba was out lbw to Chris Mpofu for three and the innings closed at 249, just four runs short of victory with two overs to go.
Williams was the best of the bowlers, with three for 33 in nine overs.
PRO50 CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS TABLE
| TEAM | M | W | L | T | NR | PTS | NRR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eagles | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0.933 |
| Rhinos | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0.594 |
| Rocks | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.616 |
| Tuskers | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | -0.387 |
| Mountaineers | 6 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | -1.723 |
