adminONCE again, the batting of Sikandar Raza was key as Harare Kings beat Westside by six wickets in the Zim Cyber-City Domestic T10, powered by AVR PAY, match at Harare Sports Club yesterday.
Westside were put in to bat and made quite a good start, as Clive Chitumba and Kevin Kasuza put on 32 runs, for the first wicket, inside four overs.
Most of this was Chitumba’s effort, though, as he hit a six and three fours in scoring 22 of those before he was bowled by Tawanda Maposa.
After his dismissal Kasuza was out for 10, which took him 16 balls, and none of the middle-order batters were able to get a good innings going.
Donald Tiripano was bowled by Manson Chikowero for six off three balls, and after eight overs the score was 62 for six.
Kudzai Sauramba came in surprisingly low at number eight and gave the innings a boost by scoring 15 off seven balls, including a six and a four, before he was caught by Raza off Johnathan Campbell from the penultimate ball of the innings.
The final score was 81 for eight wickets, not one that was likely to worry Harare Kings.
Chikowero, Raza and Campbell took two wickets each.
Cephas Zhuwao opened the Kings’ batting in good aggressive form, scoring 22 off 16 balls with a six and three fours before he was caught off Tiripano.
Once again Raza was the outstanding batter, though, coming in at number three and smashing 33 runs off 16 balls, with two sixes and four fours.
By the time he was caught off the bowling of Frank Mwazviita in the eighth over, the score was 79 for three and Kings were virtually home.
Simbarashe Haukozi hit the winning four to take the total to 85 for four wickets with eight balls to spare.
Mwazviita was the best bowler with Raza’s wicket for only eight runs off two overs, remarkably good figures for the T10 format.
Harare Kings became the first team to win all their first three matches of the tournament.
Westside – 81-8 in 10 overs (Clive Chitumba 22, Kudzai Sauramba 15, Kevin Kasuza 10; Johnathan Campbell 2/7, Manson Chikowero 2/11, Sikandar Raza 2/19)
Harare Kings – 85-4 in 8.4 overs (Sikandar Raza 33, Cephas Zhuwao 22, Johnathan Campbell 9*; Prosper Mugeri 1/4, Frank Mazviita 1/8, Donald Tiripano 1/16)
Harare Kings won by six wickets
Great Zimbabwe Patriots – 131-3 in 10 overs (Tadiwanashe Marumani 69, Tony Munyonga 31, Richmond Mutumbami 12; Trevor Gwandu 2/20, Tashinga Musekiwa 1/14)
Lions – 97-9 in 10 overs (Tashinga Musekiwa 23, Bright Phiri 18, Marshall Takodza 16*; Tony Munyonga 4/17, Luke Jongwe 2/5, Sydney Murombo 1/16)
Great Zimbabwe Patriots won by 34 runs
Bulawayo Athletic Club – 54-9 in 10 overs (Tanatswa Bechani 16*, Nkosana Mpofu 15, Allan Chigoma 8; Shingi Masakadza 4/6, Tanaka Chivanga 2/7, Tapiwa Mufudza 1/4)
Takashinga Patriots 1 – 58-1 in 6.1 overs (Baxon Gopito 32*, Tinashe Kamunhukamwe 19, Innocent Kaia 7*; Brandon Mavuta 1/26)
Takashinga Patriots 1 won by nine wickets
Mathew Masinge
Online Reporter