adminNgoni Dapira Sports Correspondent
ZIMBABWE and Mountaineers star bowler, Tendai Chatara, is finding the going tough after failing to strike a single wicket in his debut return Pro50 Championship match against MidWest Rhinos on Tuesday in Mutare.
Chatara has been out of action since April last year after he fractured his left leg while playing social soccer during the domestic off-season.
The Pro5o Championship match played marked the return of the fast bowler, but unfortunately for the hosts they had a bad day in the office and humiliatingly went down to the league punch bags, Rhinos by 125 runs.
“I am slowly recuperating and need to work more on my reflexes in the nets. This match showed me that I need to work harder and get my rhythm back,” said Chatara.
Rhinos have been sitting at the bottom of the Pro50 table without a point after five defeats in five matches.
This became their first points on the board, while for Mountaineers though they still sit on second position the defeat narrowed their chances of surpassing log leaders Mashonaland Eagles.
Mountaineers were eyeing to reach their target in 40 overs to obtain bonus points and equal Eagles, but they began their innings with too much caution.
Both teams were balanced lacking the bulk of their key national players currently in Afghanistan, but Mountaineers failed to strike the easy score as they had stronger reserve strength.
Although Rhino’s batting was uneven, it was the innings of Tendai Maruma, Prince Masvaure and newcomer, James Bruce that put enough points on the board for the visitors.
Chatara might have been quite quick and generally accurate, slowing down the scoring rate as did, off spinner Tapiwa Mafudza, but the runs still came, with the visitors scoring 100 in the 19th over, and shortly afterwards Maruma reached his fifty off 61 balls.
On the other hand, terribly for the hosts, none of their batsmen could reach 20 runs.
When Mountaineers went on to bat they were already in trouble at 20 for two wickets, after Bruce produced a fine delivery shattering Roy Kaia’s stumps for 10, while Michael Chinouya in the next over trapped Kevin Kasuza’s lbw for four.
In the end the Mountain goats had no chance and the visitors stole the match with Masvaure and Muzhange tacking three wickets while Chinouya and Bruce had two wickets.
Online Reporter