Online Reporter
EAGLES secured a convincing victory over Mountaineers in their Domestic T20 encounter at Harare Sports Club on Saturday afternoon, with left-arm spinner Ali Hasnain providing early breakthroughs and Wessly Madhevere sealing the win with a deadly late spell.
Put in to bat, Eagles had to work hard for their 144 all out, with no individual score exceeding 28 and their highest partnership yielding just 31.
The innings began inauspiciously when Tinashe Kamunhukamwe was caught and bowled by Wellington Masakadza for two in the opening over. The best stand came for the third wicket, with Dion Myers (22) and Kudzai Maunze (12) adding some stability, but Eagles soon slipped to 69 for five, three of those wickets falling to Masakadza.
A useful sixth-wicket partnership of 26 between Craig Ervine (21) and Faraz Akram helped Eagles regain momentum.
Akram top-scored with a brisk 28 from 21 deliveries at a crucial stage before the final wicket fell to a run-out in the closing over, leaving Eagles on 144.
Masakadza was the standout bowler for Mountaineers, finishing with impressive figures of four for 14 from his four overs.
Mountaineers’ reply suffered an immediate setback when Brian Bennett was bowled by Hasnain with the first ball of the innings.
The damage quickly mounted, and by the end of the fifth over they were reeling at 15 for four, having lost Nick Welch (6), Joylord Gumbie (2) and Matt Welch (0), with Hasnain accounting for two of those wickets.
Madhevere returned figures of four for 15, but it was Hasnain’s early burst that laid the foundation for Eagles’ victory.
Scores
Eagles — 144 all out in 19.3 overs (Faraz Akram 28, Dion Myers 22, Craig Ervine 21; Wellington Masakadza 4/14, Tendai Chatara 2/19, Vincent Masekesa 1/17)
Mountaineers — 97 all out in 18.4 overs (Alistair Frost 44, Timycen Maruma 18, Shafi Ullah 9; Wessly Madhevere 4/15, Ali Hasnain 3/18, Muhammad Kashif 2/10)
Eagles won by 47 runs — zimcricket
