admin
Lawrence Moyo Head Zimpapers Sports
DEFENDING champions Mountaineers suffered a third successive defeat in the Pro50 Championship cricket tournament, losing by five wickets with 28 overs to spare against Southern Rocks at the Masvingo Sports Club yesterday.
With five more matches to come, Mountaineers will need a dramatic change of fortunes if they are to reach the final.
Mountaineers suffered back-to-back defeats against Rhinos in the opening week, losing by four wickets with six balls to spare defending 295 and by eight wickets with 66 balls remaining defending 295 at Mutare Sports Club.
In yesterday’s match, William Mashinge was man-of-the-match for his three wickets for 25 in five overs and an unbeaten 28 off 25 balls as Mountaineers were bowled out for 121 in 24.2 overs while Southern Rocks made 122/5 in 22 overs.
Peter J Moor was the highest scorer for the troubled Mountaineers with a run-a-ball 29 while opener and captain Kevin Kasuza and bowling extras had the second highest contribution of 17 runs each.
Kasuza and PJ Moor featured in an innings highest partnership of 49 for the third wicket in 7.2 overs after the Mountaineers had been reduced to 0/2 in 0.4 overs by Trevor Gwandu who finished with three wickets for 28 in 7.2 overs.
The Southern Rocks’ response was nervy as they were 5/2 in the second over and 65/5 in the 13th over before Mashinge and wicketkeeper Tafadzwa Tsiga (30 off 42) made an unbeaten 57 for the sixth wicket.
Tinashe Muchawaya tried his best in the Mission Impossible as he took four wickets for 42 in eight overs for the Mountaineers.
In the day’s other match at Harare Sports Club, Eagles survived a collapse and went top of the standings with a one wicket win over the Tuskers.
It was a third successive victory for Eagles, who won their two opening matches against Southern Rocks at Takashinga Cricket Club.
Eagles were seemingly cruising at 115/3 in the 30th over but were starring defeat at 142/7 in the 40th over as Brandon James took three wickets for 11 in four overs.
Owen Muzondo and Romario Roach then put 35 for the eighth wicket before the latter fell for 19 off 27 balls with two runs needed for victory.
Ernest Masuku then bowled Tapiwa Mufudza for a golden duck the next ball and was now on a hat-trick and Tuskers were on verge of an improbable victory but Alex Russell survived to take game into the 46th over, which yielded one run to level the scores.
Muzondo then got the winning run off the second ball of the 47th over as Eagles won with 22 balls remaining.
Tuskers were dismissed for 178 in 46 overs with a top score of 54 not out coming from Milton Shumba at number six while the second best contribution was 36 by wicketkeeper (41 balls) and captain Brian Chari (47 balls).
Alex Russell was the deadliest of the Eagles bowlers as he took three wickets for just 15 runs in 10 overs of off-spin and three of them maiden.
Online Reporter