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Mehluli Sibanda in Potchefstroom, South Africa
ZIMBABWE cricket team captain, Hamilton Masakadza has hailed the contribution made to the Chevrons by pace bowler Christopher Mpofu.
The lanky pace bowler made a return to the national side for Tuesday’s first Twenty20 International against the Proteas at Buffalo Park in East London. He showed his experience with two wickets for 24 in four overs at six runs per over as the Chevrons limited the Proteas to 160-6 in 20 overs. Zimbabwe went on to lose the match by 34 runs.
Mpofu, left out of the One Day International squad for this tour struck with the third delivery he bowled on the night, getting the dangerous Quinton de Cock caught by Chamunorwa Chibhabha. He also picked up the biggest wicket on the day, that of debutant, Rassie van der Dussen, South Africa’s top scorer with 56, who was snared by Masakadza. Just to show how brilliantly Mpofu bowled on Tuesday, he gave away just one run in his last over, which was also the final one for the Proteas, something not many bowlers are able to do in this fast paced format of the game.
The Zimbabwean captain, speaking ahead of the second T20I at Senwes Park in Potchefstroom described the 32-year old Mpofu as a valuable addition to the Chevrons for the shortest format of the game with the bowler bringing in his vast knowledge of the game.
“Chris has come and has really bowled well, he is one of our more experienced bowlers and he has been doing a good job for us in the Twenty20s in the past and he has just come up and is carrying on from where he left off. I think he has been a really good edition to have him around in these T20s,’’Masakadza said.
Masakadza will certainly hope that Mpofu and the rest of the Zimbabwean bowlers are once again at their best as the Chevrons look to level the three-match series on Wednesday.
@Mdawini_29
Londile Moyo
Online Reporter