adminA BRILLIANT innings of 52 by Tadiwanashe Marumani was the highlight of a one-sided final as Eagles defeated a nervy Rhinos team by 62 runs to lift the Domestic Twenty20 Competition trophy at Harare Sports Club on Sunday.
Rhinos won the toss and followed the usual course by putting their opponents in, but as has been the case quite often during this tournament, it proved to be a regrettable decision.
Mike Chinouya struck in his first over, having Kudzai Maunze caught for five.
Then Nick Welch and Wessly Madhevere attacked the bowling in fine style, adding 52 for the second wicket in six overs before Brandon Mavuta broke the stand by bowling Madhevere for 29 off 25 balls.
Chamu Chibhabha scored 15, and then Marumani announced his arrival by hitting the first two deliveries he faced, from Johnathan Campbell, for four and six.
Soon afterwards Welch was out for a well-played 37 off 33 balls, and it was fortunate for Eagles that Marumani was in good form, for the later batters did little.
Marumani thrashed the bowling brilliantly to score 52 off only 22 balls, finally going out in the 19th over to Prince Masvaure with the score at 162 for six.
A few more runs were scored to take the total to 173 for eight, Tanaka Chivanga being out for “obstructing the field” off the final delivery.
Rhinos’ target of 174 was not easy, but it was certainly possible.
However, their innings was a disaster virtually from beginning to end, and after such an impressive tournament until now, it would appear that they were unnerved by the big occasion.
In the third over, with the score on 11, Masvaure was given out lbw to Madhevere for four, and two balls later Eddie Byrom perished the same way for two.
Tarisai Musakanda was then lbw to Richard Ngarava, which meant three batters were out lbw in four balls.
Madhevere himself took three wickets in four balls when with the first ball of his next over he bowled out Campbell for one.
Scores
Eagles – 173-8 in 20 overs (Tadiwanashe Marumani 52, Nick Welch 37, Wessly Madhevere 29; Prince Masvaure 3/25, Johnathan Campbell 1/20, Mike Chinouya 1/22)
Rhinos – 111 all out in 14.4 overs (Tashinga Musekiwa 38*, Ryan Burl 18, Brandon Mavuta 11; Wessly Madhevere 3/15, Tawanda Dzikiti 3/27, Matt Parkinson 2/4)
Eagles won by 62 runs – zimcricket
Online Reporter