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Eddie Chikamhi
Senior Sports Reporter
FORGOTTEN former Zimbabwe national cricket team player Cephas Zhuwao reminded the domestic cricket family that he has lost none of his aggression at the top with some incredible knocks during the just-ended Domestic T20 competition in which he was named Player of the Tournament.
In fact, the Southern Rocks big hitter walked away with two individual awards at the tournament which ended in Harare on Sunday after he was also named Batter of the Tournament despite Rocks settling for third place.
Zhuwao, who goes by the monikers Big Bully or Mayor, stood a cut above the rest with four half centuries in six innings. He amassed a total of 240 runs, including 22 boundaries and 18 maximums.
The second best performer with the bat was Mountaineers’ PJ Moor who finished with 197 runs from four innings, and with two fifties to his name.
National team all-rounder Ryan Burl was third in the pack with 196 runs under the belt.
But it was Zhuwao who turned back the hands of time with some powerful hits, including an incredible 53 from just 18 balls against Lions Academy in Rocks’ second match of the tournament. Zhuwao felt his team should have gone all the way and played the final.
“It was a good tournament but I am disappointed that we didn’t play in the final,” he said after the game.
“I thought we deserved to play in the final. I am also disappointed with our last group game which we lost. We could have done better,” said Zhuwao.
Rocks started off the tournament on the back foot after losing the opener to Rhinos.
They fought their way back to contention with three wins in a row, with Zhuwao playing a big part with the bat as he had four back-to-back fifties.
But his 57 runs against Eagles was not enough to earn his side a place in the final after losing to the eventual champions by 11 runs.
Zhuwao has been surrounded by some good players in the Rocks side that included Gary Ballance, Ben Curran, Roy Kaia, Nick Gubbins and skipper Richmond Mutumbami.
But it was Curran with the bat and Sydney Murombo with the ball who were the main heroes for Southern Rocks as they fought back to beat Tuskers for third place in this tournament by 11 runs in an exciting finish on Sunday.
Now aged 38 years, Zhuwao, was recently appointed player/assistant coach at Southern Rocks.
Mayor, as his teammates call him, goes through life as fearlessly as he does in cricket.
His aggressive style has been the hallmark of his game. He does not care the fearless approach sometimes borders on carelessness. Still the fans enjoy watching him bat.
His innings might have the selectors want to look at him once more. Zhuwao has had a dance with the national team before and has yet to impress in the Chevrons colours.
His last national team duty was back in 2018.
The broad-shouldered left-hand batsman had earned his first cap for Zimbabwe against Ireland in 2008, during a triangular series in Nairobi. He scored just 16 runs in that innings.
He had to wait 10 years before he got called again in 2018. But during those 10 years, Zhuwao built a reputation as a big-hitter of the ball, as an aggressive batsman.
The approach did not bring him a lot of success, but he stuck with it, even during his time in the United Kingdom playing for Lashings and interacting with players like Pakistan’s former captain Inzamam-ul-Haq, Indian domestic stalwart Wasim Jaffer, and the Windies duo of Tino Best and Kirk Edwards, all of whom encouraged him to go big.
The domestic T20 ended in a one-sided final as Eagles outplayed Rhinos by 62 runs to win a second title on the bounce.
Tadiwanashe Marumani shone in the final with 52 runs off just 22 balls as Eagles took their total to 173 for eight after being asked to bat.
Nick Welch weighed in with 37 runs and Wessly Madhevere contributed 29 runs with the bat before returning a brilliant 3-15 with the ball.
Rhinos were bowled out for 111 runs in 14.4 overs. Madhevere was named man of the Match in the final while Marumani scooped the Centurion Master Blaster award for his brisk half century.
2022/23 DOMESTIC T20 COMPETITION AWARDS:
Centurion Master Blaster – Tadiwanashe Marumani (Eagles)
Player of the Match (Final) – Wessly Madhevere (Eagles)
Bowler of the Tournament – Tanaka Chivanga (Eagles)
Batter of the Tournament – Cephas Zhuwao (Southern Rocks)
Player of the Tournament – Cephas Zhuwao (Southern Rocks)
Champions – Eagles
Runners-Up – Rhinos
Online Reporter