Rainbow – 143-5 in 35 overs (Gary Chirimuuta 56*, Robertson Chinyengetere 21*, Clive Imbayago 16; Jabulisa Tshuma 2/32, Tashinga Musekiwa 1/15, Manson Chikowero 1/17)
MidWest – 150-4 in 26.2 overs (Takudzwa Kaitano 62, Tarisai Musakanda 48, Remembrance Nyathi 9; Brighton Zhawi 1/22, Victor Nyauchi 1/29, Brian Mudzinganyama 1/35)
MidWest won by six wickets (Duckworth-Lewis)
Takudzwa Kaitano starred with the bat as his 62-run knock inspired MidWest to victory over Rainbow by six wickets (Duckworth-Lewis) in a National Premier League (NPL) match played at Harare Sports Club on Sunday.
MidWest won the toss on an overcast morning and put Rainbow Sharks in to bat.
They opened their bowling with two left-arm spinners, and Manson Chikowero struck in his first over when Brian Mudzinganyama (1) sent up a huge skyer behind the bowler that was very well held by Tashinga Musekiwa.
The spinners did their job so well that Rainbow were struggling at 23 for three wickets in the seventh over, Jabulisa Tshuma taking two.
Prince Gupo and Gary Chirimuuta began a slow recovery, but Gupo was so painfully slow that when he was eventually dismissed he had scored nine runs off 54 balls.
Chirimuuta was still there with 21 when rain suddenly began and drove the players from the field at 65 for four off 23.3 overs.
More than an hour and 20 minutes were lost, so the game was rescheduled as a 35-over contest.
On resumption Clive Imbayago wisely began to hit out, making 16 in quick time, then Chirimuuta took over the more aggressive role.
After 35 overs the score was 143 for five wickets, with Chirimuuta on 56 and Robertson Chinyengetere 21.
With the Duckworth-Lewis calculations, Midwest were set a target of 150 in their 35 overs.
Takudzwa Kaitano and Trevor Chibvongodze were soon pushing the score along briskly until the latter was given out caught at the wicket at 27.
Kaitano was in fine form, and Tarisai Musakanda joined him and the two shared the vital partnership for MidWest, as they batted positively and wisely.
After reaching 40 Musakanda became careless, popping up a ball to square leg, but there was no fielder within reach, and then skying another to mid-on, where the fielder dropped it.
When he was on 48, though, he was trapped lbw by Mudzinganyama with the score on 132.
Kaitano soon followed, dismissed for 62, but 150 and victory were eventually reached with four wickets down.
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Queens – 129 all out in 42 overs (Ian Fuzane 50, Christopher Mpofu 26, Sheunopa Musekwa 14*; Trevor Mutsamba 5/41, Roy Kaia 2/16, Tapiwa Mufudza 2/24)
Takashinga – 131-5 in 24.5 overs (Roy Kaia 42*, Joylord Gumbie 41, Tafadzwa Tsiga 23; Tanatswa Bechani 4/33, Sheunopa Musekwa 1/20)
Takashinga won by five wickets
At Kwekwe Sports Club, Queens struggled from the start of this NPL match against the bowling of Takashinga’s Trevor Mutsamba, who took five of the first six wickets that fell with the score only 34.
After such early disasters, Queens did well to reach a final total of 129, with Ian Fuzane scoring a fighting fifty, helped by 26 from Chris Mpofu.
Takashinga had no real difficulty in reaching their target, with Joylord Gumbie and Roy Kaia both passing 40.
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Harare Kings – 156 all out in 30.1 overs (Nazeem Patel 41, Ali Hamid 22, Khan 12; Tinashe Muchawaya 4/18, John Masara 2/20, Akshay Patel 2/36, Clive Chitumba 2/55)
Easterns – 157-2 in 30.3 overs (Kevin Kasuza 47*, Tinashe Chiora 34*, Spencer Magodo 33; Ali Hamid 1/14, Patrick Mambo 1/50)
Easterns won by eight wickets
Harare Kings again failed to live up to expectations as they were soundly beaten by Easterns at Mutare Sports Club.
Tinashe Muchawaya had them in trouble almost from the start, and they slumped to 80 for seven, and then 115 for nine.
They only reached 156 thanks to their number 10 batsman, Nazim Patel, who with nothing to lose took his life in his hands and hammered 41 runs off 25 balls, with three sixes and four fours.
But this did not test Easterns, who cruised to victory, with their captain Kevin Kasuza scoring an unbeaten 47 off 48 balls.
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Great Zimbabwe Patriots – 183-7 in 45 overs (William Mashinge 47, André Odendaal 42, Coster Zhou 26; John Nyumbu 3/36, Stephen Chimhamhiwa 2/48, Thabo Mboyi 1/18)
Amakhosi – 154-4 in 27.1 (Allan Chigoma 63*, Ainsley Ndlovu 29*, Thamsanqa Nunu 29; André Odendaal 2/14, Nkosilathi Nungu 1/24, William Mashinge 1/43)
Amakhosi won by six wickets (Duckworth-Lewis)
A fine innings of 63 not out by Allan Chigoma swung the balance for Amakhosi in their match against Great Zimbabwe Patriots at Queens Sports Club, giving them a six-wicket victory under the Duckworth-Lewis system.
Great Zimbabwe made a reasonable total under present circumstances, but would have done better had one of their top four stayed in for a major innings.
They did not receive the necessary fuel injection until all-rounder William Mashinge came in at number five to make a solid 47, and then André Odendaal scored 42 not out off only 37 balls to give a further boost at the end.
Ainsley Ndlovu did not take a wicket, but tied the batsmen down considerably by bowling his nine overs for only 22 runs, which was a major factor in his team’s eventual success.
Ndlovu was also to contribute with the bat when Amakhosi chased their target.
The match was in the balance as Amakhosi lost their first four batsmen for 76 runs in the 19th over, but at this point Ndlovu joined Chigoma.
The pair more than doubled the score without being parted, and when rain ended the match early, they were poised for a most likely victory, needing another 30 runs with six wickets in hand and still 18 overs to be bowled.
Chigoma’s 63 came off 58 balls, with a six and five fours, while Ndlovu, not generally known for his batting, made 29 not out off 21 balls.
