dyton mupawaenda
MALCOM Chikuhwa shattered the Mbizo batting with a five-wicket haul to give Gladiators an easy seven-wicket victory, chasing 73, to preserve their National Premier League winning record at Kwekwe Sports Club on Thursday.
Gladiators won with 37.5 overs to spare.
Mbizo decided to bat and made a promising start, as Mkululi Nyathi (13) and Walter Matawu (12) put on 31 for the first wicket.
Then the batting collapsed, with only Ronald Masocha with 22 from number eight able to make any stand after that.
Chikuhwa took five of the wickets for 22 runs in eight overs.
Jabulisa Tshuma made sure Gladiators did not have everything their own way as he dismissed Wessly Madhevere for one and Tony Munyonga for three with 10 runs on the board as they chased their target.
However, Lennox Chando made 30, and then Milton Shumba (21 not out) and Ashley Mufandauya (15 not out) brought the match to a rapid conclusion by making the last 25 together in three overs.
In the day’s other match, a steady innings of 57 not out off 67 balls by Takashinga Patriots 2 opening batter Aliakbar Hamid steered his team to a straightforward victory over Golden Bulls by eight wickets at Masvingo Sports Club.
Golden Bulls, put in to bat, made a disastrous start, losing their top three batters with only four runs on the board, two of them to Keith Jaure.
Jimmy Nyangoni led the fightback with 45 off 68 balls, but no other batter reached 20 and Bulls were eventually dismissed for 125 in their 36th over.
Jaure and Wallace Mubayiwa both took three wickets, for 27 and 21 runs respectively.
Baxon Gopito gave Takashinga a rollicking start in pursuit of their target, scoring 49 off 43 balls out of an opening partnership of 78 with Hameed.
After that Hamid took over the role of aggressor and propelled Takashinga home for the loss of only one more wicket.
Munashe Maworere was the only bowler to give the batters any trouble, and he took both the wickets that fell for 26 runs in 7.1 overs.
The day’s losing teams, Bulls and Mbizo, remain locked together at the bottom of the table, having yet to record their first victory of a very difficult first season for them both in the country’s top club competition.
Brief Scores:
Mbizo – 72 all out in 18.2 overs (Ronald Masocha 22, Mkululi Nyathi 15, Walter Matawu 12; Malcom Chikuhwa 5/22, Milton Shumba 2/9, Phrase Mukabeta 2/25)
Gladiators – 73-3 in 12.1 overs (Lennox Chando 30, Milton Shumba 21*, Ashley Mufandauya 15*; Jabulisa Tshuma 2/34, Manson Chikowero 1/18)
Result: Gladiators won by seven wickets
Golden Bulls – 125 all out in 35.5 overs (Jimmy Nyangoni 45, Samuel Muyambo 19, Kumbirai Machaka 12; Wallace Mubayiwa 3/21, Keith Jaure 3/27, Ryan Simbi 2/20)
Takashinga Patriots 2 – 129-2 in 23.1 overs (Aliakbar Hamid 57*, Baxon Gopito 49, Alvin Chiradza 6; Munashe Maworere 2/26)
Result: Takashinga Patriots 2 won by eight wickets
Online Reporter