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VITAL wickets by Donald Tiripano and Roy Kaia of Mountaineers turned what looked like being a close match against Eagles at Harare Sports Club yesterday in favour of their team.
Tiripano removed three top-order Eagles batsmen and Kaia four from the middle order as their batting fell away, despite a good innings of 68 from Tinashe Kamunhukamwe, and Mountaineers won again, by 58 runs (Duckworth-Lewis method).
As in the first match, at the same venue yesterday, Mountaineers won the toss and decided to bat.
Eagles kept things tight in the field at the start, with Richard Ngarava and Trevor Garwe bowling well to Kevin Kasuza and Joylord Gumbie, and only three runs, including a wide, came off the first four overs.
Then Gumbie broke free with a cracking square drive for four off Ngarava.
Thereafter, Kasuza played the leading part in another fine opening partnership for Mountaineers, putting on 68 in 20 overs before Kasuza drove a catch to long-off of Tapiwa Mufudza after scoring 39.
Gumbie scored 26 before he ill-advisedly tried a reverse sweep and was easily caught off Mufudza at backward point; 88 for one in the 27th over.
Richmond Mutumbami came in, and soon got hold of Tino Mutombodzi’s bowling, hammering him for a six, three fours and a single in an over.
The score was rattled along while when Kaia was caught on the midwicket boundary off the bowling of Mutombodzi for 40, with the score at 146 for three in the 37th over.
Drinks were taken, and the interval struck twice for Eagles as two balls later Mutumbami (31) miscued a stroke and sent Mutombodzi a simple return catch.
Shingi Masakadza and Kudzai Sauramba now took over the batting, with Masakadza in particular getting his eye in quickly and driving Faraz Akram for two successive sixes.
They put on 58 runs together in six overs before Sauramba (20) edged a ball from Ngarava to the keeper; 205 for five.
Gary Chirimuuta soon followed without scoring, trying to drive Ngarava but skying a catch to long-on.
At 209 Mashinge (2) edged Garwe to the keeper, and with five overs to go and seven wickets down Eagles were fighting back and Mountaineers faltering somewhat at the death.
Then Shingi Masakadza, after hitting another four, tried to swing a ball from Ngarava to leg and was bowled behind his legs for 34; 214 for eight.
Tiripano, trying to push the score along, perhaps tried to hit out too soon, as he skyed a catch off Garwe at 215 for nine, after 46.2 overs; three wickets had fallen in nine balls.
As the last man, Victor Nyauchi, was walking out a sudden shower came on, forcing the players to run off the field and take an early lunch.
The shower was comparatively brief and, with lunch taken, the time lost was so small that Mountaineers were able to continue their innings, with only one over lost.
Scores
Mountaineers: 234 all out in 48.4 overs (Roy Kaia 40, Kevin Kasuza 39, Shingi Masakadza 34; Richard Ngarava 3/52, Trevor Garwe 2/32, Tapiwa Mufudza 2/34)
Eagles: 175 all out in 43.4 overs (Tinashe Kamunhukamwe 68, Elton Chigumbura 35, Tino Mutombodzi 16; Donald Tiripano 4/29, Roy Kaia 4/30)
Mountaineers won by 58 runs (Duckworth-Lewis method) — zimcricket.
Online Reporter