RODNEY Mupfudza fell 12 runs short of a century, but his 88 was enough to put Mashonaland Eagles in control of their Pro50 Championship encounter against Southern Rocks at Masvingo Sports Club on Friday.
The Eagles batter faced 100 deliveries, striking eight fours and two sixes, as his side recovered from 94 for four to post 246 for nine in their allotted 50 overs.
Rocks were later set a revised target of 178 from 25 overs under the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method, but finished on 119 for six, handing Eagles a 58-run victory in the second match of the 2026/27 competition.
Kudakwashe Macheka did much of the damage with the ball, taking three for 34, including two wickets in his opening spell that left Rocks struggling at 28 for three.
Earlier, Rocks captain Roy Kaia had elected to field, and his bowlers made a reasonable start when Takudzwa Chataira trapped Marshal Takodza lbw for eight in the third over.
Eagles captain Tinashe Kamunhukamwe and Kudzai Maunze then added 56 for the second wicket, taking the score to 74 before Derrick Sadoki removed Kamunhukamwe for 36 off 47 balls.
Maunze followed for 32 from 44 deliveries, caught by Kaia off Natsai M’shangwe, while Tony Munyonga managed just three before falling to Owen Muzondo.
At 94 for four after 22 overs, Eagles needed Mupfudza to stay at the crease.
He had already watched three wickets fall in relatively quick succession and now had to rebuild an innings that had lost much of its early momentum.
Mupfudza found support from wicketkeeper Ryan Kamwemba, who made 17 from 21 balls as the pair added 45 for the fifth wicket.
M’shangwe broke the partnership by dismissing Kamwemba, but Mupfudza continued batting alongside Faraz Akram, who contributed 14.
Their stand added 43 before Shelton Mazvitorera had Akram caught behind by Lennox Chando.
Mupfudza remained at the crease until the 46th over, when Chataira had him caught by Matthew Campbell for 88.
By then, Eagles had reached 217 for seven, a considerable improvement from their position midway through the innings.
Macheka added a useful 18 from 17 balls, striking three fours, while Alex Falao made 10 and Ryan Simbi finished unbeaten on nine.
Chataira, Sadoki and M’shangwe took two wickets each for Rocks, but Muzondo was the most economical bowler, conceding just 23 runs from his 10 overs and dismissing Munyonga.
His economy rate of 2.30 was particularly impressive considering Eagles finished with 246.
The revised chase required Rocks to score at 7.12 runs per over, making a good start important.
Instead, they lost three wickets inside the first seven overs.
Matthew Campbell was caught behind by Kamwemba off Akram for two before Macheka dismissed Ashley Mufandauya for 12 and Panashe Taruvinga for five.
Rocks were 28 for three after 6.3 overs, with their captain Kaia and Johnathan Campbell left to repair the innings.
The pair added 54 for the fourth wicket, but the partnership consumed valuable deliveries as the required scoring rate continued to rise.
Kaia scored 23 from 40 balls before Falao bowled him with the final delivery of the 16th over, leaving Rocks on 82 for four.
Campbell kept batting, finding the boundary six times, but he struggled to find enough support to bring Rocks back into contention.
Lennox Chando, making his List A debut, scored 11 from 12 balls, including a four, before Tapiwa Mufudza trapped him lbw in the 21st over.
That dismissal left Rocks on 103 for five, still needing 75 runs from 27 deliveries.
Derrick Sadoki made five before becoming Macheka’s third victim, caught by Simbi in the 24th over.
Campbell remained unbeaten on 39 from 48 deliveries, while Muzondo finished on one as Rocks reached 119 for six after 25 overs.
Macheka’s three for 34 from six overs was the standout bowling return for Eagles.
Mufudza conceded 25 runs from eight overs, including a maiden, while Akram took one for 23 from five overs and Falao finished with one for 36.
For Rocks, the damage was done early in the chase. Losing three wickets for 28 meant Kaia and Campbell had to spend much of their partnership rebuilding rather than attacking a target that already required more than seven runs an over.
Eagles, meanwhile, had Mupfudza to thank for giving their bowlers a total to work with after the innings had threatened to stall at 94 for four.
His 88, followed by Macheka’s three wickets, made the difference as Eagles began their Pro50 Championship campaign with a win.
