Mountaineers edge Rhinos in T20 thriller

Mountaineers – 143-6 in 19 overs (Tony Munyonga 49, Spencer Magodo 28, Shingi Masakadza 22; Neville Madziva 3/29, Chris Mpofu 2/26, Brandon Mavuta 1/33)

Rhinos – 141-9 in 19 overs (Nyasha Mayavo 39, Takudzwanashe Kaitano 35, Neville Madziva 15; Victor Nyauchi 3/18, John Masara 2/21, Tony Munyonga 1/8)

Mountaineers won by two runs

Victor Nyauchi won a thrilling Domestic T20 Competition match for Mountaineers by taking two wickets in the final over as Rhinos fell just three runs short of their target at Old Hararians Sports Club on Sunday.

The match started late owing to rain and was reduced to 19 overs per side.

Chris Mpofu struck two blows in his second over after Mountaineers were put in to bat.

He had PJ Moor caught for three and, three balls later, had Roy Kaia caught at the wicket for two – Mountaineers were now seven for two by the third over.

Tony Munyonga came out to join Spencer Magodo and the pair did well to take the score to 68 in nine overs before Neville Madziva bowled Magodo for a valuable 28.

Munyonga played quite a dazzling innings, scoring 49 off only 30 balls, with a six and six fours.

There was an entertaining partnership between the Masakadza brothers, who put on 31 in three overs, Wellington making 21 while Shingi smote 22 off only 10 balls, with two sixes and a four.

The innings closed at 143 for six, with Mpofu returning two wickets for 26 in his four overs, while Madziva took three for 29 in three overs.

Rhinos lost Prince Masvaure for one, caught by Moor off Victor Nyauchi, but Takudzwanashe Kaitano hit out boldly to score 35 off 24 balls before Nyauchi caught him off Shingi Masakadza, the score then being 76 for two after eight overs.

At the other end, Nyasha Mayavo was playing another fine innings, scoring 39, but then he was bowled by John Masara, and Tarisai Musakanda came and went for 13.

One run later, Brandon Mavuta was caught off Munyonga for six, and at 102 for five in the 13th over Rhinos found themselves in trouble.

Johnathan Campbell was out for nine, while Carl Mumba made eight – 129 for seven in the 18th over meant 15 runs were needed off the last 10 balls, and then eight off the final over, bowled by Nyauchi.

He bowled out Tashinga Musekiwa with his first ball – there was a leg-bye, and Madziva scored two twos.

For the last ball Madziva was on strike and needed three to win the match, but Nyauchi bowled him out and Mountaineers had scraped home by two runs.

Nyauchi finished with three for 19, while there were two wickets for Masara and four other bowlers took a wicket each.

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Southern Rocks – 165-3 in 19 overs (Roy Kaia 61*, Tafadzwa Tsiga 46*, Tadiwanashe Marumani 19; John Nyumbu 1/18, Steve Chimhamhiwa 1/20)

Tuskers – 137 all out in 18 overs (Bright Phiri 40, Luke Jongwe 24, Steve Chimhamhiwa 16; Sydney Murombo 4/16, Cuthbert Musoko 3/29, Nkosilathi Nungu 2/30)

Southern Rocks won by 28 runs

Roy Kaia and Tafadzwa Tsiga of Southern Rocks produced one of the best partnerships of the Domestic T20 Competition when they put on 108 runs for the fourth wicket in 10.3 overs without being separated against Tuskers at Harare Sports Club on Sunday.

The resultant total of 165 for three wickets was too great for Tuskers, who went down to defeat by 28 runs.

This match was also reduced to 19 overs per side due to rain.

Rocks, put in to bat, had mixed fortunes at the start of their innings.

Innocent Kaia hit the first two balls of the match, from Steve Chimhamhiwa, for four and six, before he took a single and saw his partner Cephas Zhuwao caught off the first delivery he faced.

Innocent Kaia did a good if brief job, out for 19 off only 10 balls, but when Tadiwanashe Marumani was caught off John Nyumbu for 29 in the ninth over the score was 57 for three.

There followed one of the best partnerships of the tournament, as Roy Kaia joined Tsiga and the two of them batted brilliantly to share an unbroken partnership of 108 in 11.3 overs.

Tsiga did well enough to score 46 off 42 balls, with a six and three fours, but Roy Kaia really excelled himself with a brilliant 61 – it came off only 34 balls, as he hit three sixes and three fours in great style.

After their 19 overs, Rocks had raised the impressive total of 165 for three wickets.

The pace bowlers suffered the most, with Chimhamhiwa, Luke Jongwe and Allan Chigoma all going for more than 10 runs an over, while the spinners were much more economical.

Milton Shumba’s three overs cost only 13 runs, while Nyumbu took one for 18 in his three.

Bright Phiri batted superbly when Tuskers replied, hitting up 40 off only 26 balls, including a six and six fours, before he was caught by Roy Kaia off Sydney Murombo.

He could not find a reliable partner, however, with Shumba out in the same way for 12, and Clive Madande was caught at the wicket first ball off Cuthbert Musoko.

Allan Chigoma then went for five, and Tuskers were 66 for five in the 10th over, with hope virtually gone.

The later batters gave it their best shot, with Jongwe hitting 24 off 18 balls and Chimhamhiwa 16 off 14.

But the task was too great for them, and after 18 overs they were all out for 137.

Murombo in three overs enjoyed the fine figures of four wickets for 16 runs, while Musoko had three for 29.

2021/22 DOMESTIC T20 COMPETITION POINTS TABLE

SIURCE: ZIMBABWE CRICKET