admin
Descent Dube, Sports Reporter
BLAZERS claimed the Spar Bonsa T20 league championship after beating Badgers by six wickets at the Old Mutual Heath Streak Cricket Academy on Sunday.
Although the final of the inaugural Spar Bonsa T20 league was low scoring, the game was an exciting affair that lived up to expectations.
Badgers, who came into the match as the favourites, having led from day one of the tournament, won the toss and elected to bat first because they felt chasing a score in the final would put pressure on their opponents.
However, Blazers applied the pressure and Njabulo Ncube struck early to remove Aidan Smith, who had looked solid after flicking Thabo Mboyi for a big six over deep square and smashing Shane Chigumbura over the ropes in one over.
Tafara Mupariwa fell to a safe catch at deep square and experience got the better of youth when Christopher Mpofu had Thamsanqa Nunu caught at deep mid-wicket, leaving Badgers in trouble at 33 for 4.
Sheu Musekwa can feel rightly aggrieved as he was given out leg before wicket to Panashe Maphosa, although the ball clearly hit his bat before hitting his pads. After that Badgers were five wickets down and struggling to make a defendable total.
Shayne Nxumalo did his best to stabilise the innings, but in the end Badgers could only compile 100-7 off their allotted 20 overs.
This was never going to be enough against a solid Blazers’ batting line-up. Tanatswa Bechan and Nkosana Mpofu opened confidently before Bechan fell with the score on 22.
Blazers were always in control and only lost four wickets in their chase, with Mpofu and Mboyi taking Blazers to a six-wicket win.
Despite their low score, Badgers didn’t make it easy for Blazers and forced them to bat into the 19th over for their win.
The tournament has been classified as a huge success by players, sponsors and administrators as well as officials from the Ministry of Sport who felt that it was “a solid foundation for the development of cricket in Zimbabwe”.
Bechan was named batsman of the tournament, while Musekwa was bowler of the tournament, with Nunu walking away with player of the tournament award after finishing with 314 runs at an average of 72.16 per innings and 12 wickets at an average of 13.12. Nunu said he had been working on his batting preparing for the final.
“Our team has a lot of players specialising on bowling so we had to work on our batting and I’m happy that our efforts have been displayed. Being player of the tournament is something I will cherish,” said Nunu.
Sponsor Himashu Parshotam said the tournament is set to grow next year, with the intention of franchising the tournament to bring value to the game and Bulawayo.
“A standard has been set and we fully intend on improving and bettering that standard every year, making this a premier sporting event on the Zimbabwean sporting calendar,” said Parshotam.
@DecoDecent2
Online Reporter