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BRENDON MAVUTA produced a man-of-the-match performance with the ball as Rainbow Sharks pulled off an impressive four-wicket win over Gladiators in a National Premier League cricket match at Harare Sports Club yesterday.
Rainbow, Amakhosi, Harare Kings and Takashinga were on the winning side on the opening day of the 45-over competition yesterday. Mavuta and Daniel Jakiel shared eight wickets between themselves as Rainbow decimated the youthful Gladiators side for 131 runs in just 24.5 overs.
Wesley Madhevere and Milton Shumba, who represented Zimbabwe at the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup earlier this year, top scored for the Gladiators. Madhevere was dismissed for 27 while Shumba contributed 21.
Shumba and Tadiwa Marumani opened with a flashing 32, off only 3.3 overs, before the latter was brilliantly caught low down in the gully by Mavuta.
After this, wickets fell steadily, apart from a stand of 42 for the sixth wicket between Madhevere and Tony Munyonga (19).
Mavuta dismissed them both and then wrapped up the tail with his leg-breaks to take four wickets for only 14 runs.
He was ably complemented by Daniel Jakiel who also had a four-for.
Jakiel was the main beneficiary of the indiscipline of the top order as he took four for 25.
Rainbow started the chase steadily.
Brian Mudzinganyama (32) and Simbarashe Gupo put on a solid 44 in 12.3 overs for the first wicket, and with Larvet Masunda (29) and Gary Chirimuuta (31) also playing well the 100 was passed with only two batsmen out.
The middle order was not too sound but Rainbow still coasted to 134-6 in just 30.1 overs.
Both teams were very active and enthusiastic in the field, and several brilliant catches were taken. Veteran Elton Chigumbura was in fine form for Takashinga in their five-wicket victory over MidWest Rhinos at Kwekwe Sports Club.
Chigumbura rolled back the years by hitting the highest innings of the day in any of the four matches, a fine 62 not out off 76 balls.
MidWest fought to a total of 175 after losing their first seven wickets for only 87 runs, with the Takashinga spinners Tapiwa Mufudza and Roy Kaia taking four and three wickets respectively.
Carl Mumba’s 54, which featured six sixes and one four towards the tail, gave the hosts something to fight for.
Takashinga, in reply, lost their top three for 56 before Chigumbura took over.
He played a responsible innings, 62 off 76 balls, and found good support from Tino Mutombodzi and Timycen Maruma.
Even after reaching 50, Chigumbura played a secure game and took his time, making sure he was still there when victory was achieved.
Amakhosi emerged one-wicket victors in a low scoring match against Queens at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo.
The hosts were bundled out for 97 in 28 overs with Chamu Chibhabha top scoring with 24 runs. Amakhosi’s Ainsley Ndlovu (4/12) and Ernest Masuku (4/27) were in top form.
However, the visitors also suffered batting failure and did just enough, in that tense finish, to cross the line with one wicket in hand after amassing 98/9 in 36 overs.
Harare Kings, comprising several Zimbabwe international players, proved too powerful in their encounter against Great Zimbabwe Patriots which ended in a 114-run win at Mutare Sports Club.
The top four of Cephas Zhuwao, Prince Masvaure, Craig Ervine and Sikandar Raza all scored well, but the highest score came from Ryan Burl with 47 runs as the Kings were all out for 212 runs. Gabriel Jaya proved the best bowler, taking three wickets and conceding only 19 runs off his eight overs, while the other bowlers all took a pounding.
A target of 213 was far too high for the largely inexperienced Patriots, although for Richmond Mutumbami (26) it was an old familiar role from about 10 years ago when he so often fought lone battles for Southern Rocks in the Logan Cup. This time, at least, he had skipper Tendai Chisoro (20) to help him, and the pair briefly revived the innings with a fourth-wicket partnership of 36.
But, there was little to follow, with Patrick Mambo doing most of the damage.
Burl was chosen the man-of-the-match for his all-round performances, which included figures of 2/11 in two overs and 47 runs with the bat.
Results:
Gladiators 131 all out in 24.5 overs (Madhevere 27, Shumba 21, Munyonga 19; Mavuta 4/14, Jakiel 4/25, Nyauchi 1/31) lost to Rainbow 134-6 in 30.1 overs (Mudzinganyama 32, Chirimuuta 31, Masunda 29; Chikuwa 3/28, Munyonga 2/19, Shumba 1/16) by 4 wickets
Harare Kings 212 all out in 39.4 overs (Burl 47, Evans 35, Raza 30; Jaya 3/19, Chisoro 2/36, Mhere 2/45) beat Patriots (Richmond Mutumbami 26, Chisoro 20, Chimbirimbiri 11; Mambo 4/26, Burl 2/11, Raza 2/33) by 114 runs
Queens 97 all out in 28 overs (Chibhabha 24, Sharara 19, Williams 14; A Ndlovu 4/12, Masuku 4/27, Nyumbu 1/5) lost to Amakhosi 98-9 in 36 overs (Chigoma 20, Mboyi 15, Nunu 11; Jongwe 3/15, Bechani 3/19, Williams 2/11) by 1 wicket
MidWest 175 all out in 35.3 overs (Mumba 54, Musekiwa 34, Murwendo 25; Mufudza 4/34, R Kaia 3/19, S Masakadza 2/3) lost to Takashinga 179-5 in 32.3 overs (Chigumbura 62, Maruma 25, Mutombodzi 24; Mumba 2/33, Musekiwa 1/17, Gwandu 1/28) by 5 wickets
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