Takashinga teams suffer shock defeats

Sports Reporter

TAKASHINGA teams suffered shock defeats, their first of the season, in the latest round of action in the National Premier League (NPL) domestic cricket tournament on Wednesday.

It was all the harder for Takashinga Patriots 2, as their defeat by 20 runs at the hands of Westside came on their home ground.

The man most responsible for this result was Tariro Makauyo, who scored a brilliant 100 off 104 balls, helped by Nigel Bonyongwe with a more solid 52 off 92 balls in a second-wicket partnership of 134 in 25 overs.

Daichi Nyandoro took three quick wickets and Westside collapsed to 214 all out, which kept Takashinga in the game.

However, their top order collapsed to 43 for four, although again there was a great fightback as Knowledge Kaia (37) and Tino Chiwara (64 off 46 balls) put on 101 for the fifth wicket.

At Old Georgians Sports Club, Nick Welch finally made a triumphant return to his best form, as his innings of 94 played the major part in Rangers’ shock victory over Takashinga Patriots 1 by four wickets.

Takashinga did not do particularly well batting first, as most of their big names failed.

Joylord Gumbie held the early innings with 49 off 42 balls, but five wickets were down for 99, including that of Sikandar Raza for 11.

Alvin Chiradza with a solid 48 and Blessing Muzarabani with a lively 43 off 43 balls revived the innings, and the final total of 244 for nine wickets was not too bad.

Welch’s 94 off 93 balls inspired Rangers to great deeds, though, and with solid support from the middle order, the NPL newcomers could build a series of useful partnerships at a good pace.

Tadiwanashe Marumani with 30 was the next-best scorer, but three men scored the twenties, Takashinga gave away 29 extras and Rangers got home with 4.4 overs to spare.

At Old Hararians Sports Club, Villan Changa with 83, and Takunda Manyama with fifty and five wickets for 28 runs were the main stars of the Strikers’ big 139-run victory over Scorpions.

Strikers were not well placed when they lost their first five wickets for 86 batting first, but Changa then hit out boldly, his 86 runs coming off 56 balls, while Manyama supported him in an eighth-wicket partnership worth 79 runs and finished with 50 not out off 55 balls.

Four wickets down for five runs and five for 18 suggested that Scorpions would never be in the chase.

Manyama took two of these and returned to trouble the middle order, despite a gallant 52 from Praise Makaza as Scorpions were bowled out for 115.

At Kadoma Sports Club, Milton Shumba scored 76 off 84 balls and Malcom Chikuhwa took five wickets for only 15 runs in another one-sided NPL match in which Gladiators beat Rimuka by 167 runs.

Wessly Madhevere with 44 gave Shumba good support, and there were useful runs down the order as Gladiators made 245 for eight wickets in their 45 overs, despite Luke Jongwe taking three wickets for 22 runs.

Chikuhwa and Phase Makabeta had Rimuka reeling at 24 for six wickets, and only fighting innings of 41 not out from Nyasha Mayavo enabled the hosts to reach even a total of 78.

Brief Scores

Westside: 214 all out in 45 overs (Tariro Makauyo 100, Nigel Bonyongwe 52, Vincent Masekesa 12*; Daichi Nyandoro 3/25, Marshall Takodza 2/23, Trevor Gwandu 2/42)

Takashinga Patriots 2: 194 all out in 39.1 overs (Tino Chiwara 64, Knowledge Kaia 37, Trevor Gwandu 39; Definate Mawadzi 3/19, Tendai Chatara 3/30, Tinashe Muchawaya 2/43)

Result: Westside won by 20 runs

Takashinga Patriots 1: 244-9 in 45 overs (Joylord Gumbie 49, Alvin Chiradza 48, Blessing Muzarabani 43; Kuda Macheka 3/42, Ryan Burl 2/23, Brad Evans 2/36)

Rangers: 249-6 in 40.2 overs (Nick Welch 94, Tadiwanashe MArumani 30, Brian Bennett 27; Sikandar Raza 2/37, Tanaka Chivanga 2/56, Tapiwa Mufudza 1/36)

Result: Rangers won by four wickets

Amakhosi: 178 all out in 44.3 overs (Thamsanqa Nunu 47, Ashley Phiri 31*, Vitalis Buwu 22; Ronak Patel 2/27, Malachi Harry 2/33, Munashe Chipoyi 2/36)

Rainbow: 181-4 in 38.2 overs (Ronak Patel 55, Muhammad Khan 38, Kuda Munyede 35*; Raymond Kasimo 2/26, Nkosibongwe Gogodo 1/55)

Result: Rainbow won by six wickets

Knights: 158 all out in 38 overs (Calvin Mabvute 63, Sydney Murombo 12, Shane Chigumbura 8; Charlton Tshuma 3/31, Peter Nyandoro 2/24, Admire Mupembe 2/27)

Bulawayo Athletic Club: 160-5 in 29.4 overs (Brandon James 50*, Sean Phiri 37, Tanaka Mtomba 19; Elam Jiri 2/28, Joe Khoma 2/31, Tawananyasha Kasondo 1/35)

Result: Bulawayo Athletic Club won by five wickets

Strikers: 254-9 in 45 overs (Villan Changa 83, Takunda Manyama 50*, Tawanda Damiso 29; Gabriel Jaya 2/22, Praise Makaza 2/49, Tafara Chingwara 2/73)

Scorpions: 115 all out in 24.2 overs (Praise Makaza 52, Nkosilathi Nungu 19, Tafadzwa Bango 15; Takunda Manyama 5/28, Tawanda Damiso 2/1, Arineshto Vhezha 2/25)

Result: Strikers won by 139 runs

Gladiators: 245-8 in 45 overs (Milton Shumba 76, Wessly Madhevere 44, Lennox Chando 31; Luke Jongwe 3/22, Lewis Mushaninga 2/39, Carl Mumba 1/24)

Rimuka: 78 all out in 22.1 overs (Nyasha Mayavo 41*, Ollard Dzinokuvara 15, Terrence Makoroma 8; Malcom Chikuhwa 5/15, Phase Mukabeta 3/38, Owen Muzondo 2/5)

Result: Gladiators won by 167 runs

Queens Sports Club: 220-7 in 45 overs (Rowyn Konson 101, Tanatswa Bechani 40, Petros Sithole 35; Isaac Okpe 3/36, Jabulisa Tshuma 3/37, Chiemele Udekwe 1/25)

Mbizo: 181 all out in 41.4 overs (Ahsan Aqil Ali 63, Walter Matawu 33, Kudakwashe Kaitano 18; Luyanda Mtomba 5/19, Tanatswa Bechani 2/37, Freedom Takarusenga 1/34)

Result: Queens Sports Club won by 39 runs

POINTS TABLE

P W L T NR PTS NRR

Gladiators 3 3 0 0 0 30 2.076

Takashinga 1 4 3 1 0 0 30 1.987

Takashinga 2 4 3 1 0 0 30 1.560

Rangers 4 3 1 0 0 30 1.124

Westside 4 3 1 0 0 30 1.045

Rainbow 4 3 1 0 0 30 0.397

Strikers 4 2 2 0 0 20 1.417

Queens 4 2 2 0 0 20 -0.215

BAC 4 1 3 0 0 10 -0.715