Mountain too high for Eagles

Eagles by 27 runs to win the third edition of the tournament at Harare Sports Club yesterday.
The Mountain Goats’ captain, Hamilton Masakadza won, the toss and elected to bat, posting 142/6 for their allotted 20 overs.
Phil Mustard was the top scorer for the new champions with 56 runs that came off 31 balls and included seven fours and two sixes.
And, in response, the Eagles were shot down for 115 runs after 18.1 overs.
Mountaineers, who had a good run early in the tournament losing only once, scooped most of the awards that were on offer with Shingi Masakadza getting the Bolwer-of-the-Tournament award after finishing with 11 wickets.
He was also voted man-of-the-match for his bowling figures of 3/21.
Chris Harris finished with figures of 2/30 and also contributed 34 runs off 39 balls in the match.
There were two wickets apiece for Prosper Utseya (2/10), Dirk Nannes (2/17).
This means that the Mutare side become the first franchise to win the tournament twice having won the inaugural edition before the Eagles won the 2010 tournament.
Wild celebrations rocked Sports Club with the winners clearly on cloud nine after Shingi Masakadza took the final wicket of the game by removing Tino Mutombodzi.
The Eagles have been in every final of the tournament and in the first edition, they lost to Mountaineers, won the previous one last time and came short again this time.
Mountaineers struck early to suffocate the Eagles’ run chase with three big wickets going down in the opening five overs.
Ryan ten Doeschate (one) departed with the second ball of the second over after he was caught by Hamilton Masakadza off a Shingi Masakadza delivery.
He was quickly followed by Peter Trego (one) and the Eagles were 8/2 at the end of the third over.
Rory Hamilton-Brown (five) was also caught by Prosper Utseya off another Shingi Masakadza delivery with the last ball of the fifth over.
But 44-run fourth wicket partnership between Stuart Matsikenyeri and Foster Mutizwa seemed to bring back hope into the Eagles.
Unfortunately, lack of communication between the two saw Matsikenyeri being run out as he chased two runs with Mutizwa remained stationary at the other end.
Then it was time for Mutizwa and Elton Chigumbura to try and stabilise the Eagles ship that had been rocked by the Mountaineers.
But that was not to be as they crumbled at the hands of the Mutare side, losing four quick wickets.
When Mutizwa walked back to the pavilion, he left the Eagles at 83/5 but Chigumbura (14), Andrew Hall (two), and Regis Chakabva all fell in quick succession.
Eagles tail ender Nathan Waller tried to bring back his side into the game, but it was already late, after he scored a quick-fire 19 off five balls with three sixes and a single.
His team mate Rory Hamilton-Brown had finished with 2/14 after clean bowling Mustard on 56 and Kudzai Suramba who was caught by Kyle Jarvis on five while Andrew Hall and Trego took a wicket apiece.
Chris Harris’ unbeaten 34 was decisive, even against a background that it consumed a lot of balls, and Shingi Masakadza added an unbeaten 23 off 18 balls.
Timmy Maruma and Prosper Utseya were both run out but Utseya made up for his blushes with the ball.