adminMASHONALAND Eagles beat Mountaineers in an eliminator to clinch the Domestic Twenty20 Competition at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo on Saturday. Chasing 17 in the one-over shootout bowled by Bright Mugochi, the left-arm spinner, Mountaineers fell one short. This was despite Hamilton Masakadza’s power-hitting delivering a boundary and a six to bring the equation down to four runs off the last ball, off which only a brace was possible.
That they needed an eliminator to decide the winner was largely because of Tendai Chatara, who conceded just four runs off the final over to force the game into a tie as Eagles also finished on 167 for 6 after 20 overs.
Cephas Zhuwao (71) and Chamu Chibhabha (37) put on 69 in just 5.5 overs to set the chase up nicely, before Mountaineers struck twice in four deliveries. When Regis Chakabva was dismissed, Eagles were in a hint of trouble at 80 for 3. A 42-run stand for the fourth wicket between Zhuwao and Tinotenda Mutombodzi, who made a sprightly 22, before the slower bowlers applied the choke to force the game into an eliminator.
Earlier, Mountaineers rode on Masakadza’s 42-ball 66 to post 167. Despite his strong show with the bat, it boiled down to his big-hitting prowess at the end once again, but on the night, the Eagles managed to hold on by the thinnest of margins in a thrilling finale. — ESPNcricinfo
Online Reporter