peter
Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
TAKASHINGA are the winners of the inaugural National Premier League, a 45-over club cricket competition which concluded on Sunday.
For being champions, Takashinga’s reward is a cash prize of US$10 000.
Not being in action on the final day could not stop the Harare club from clinching the title. The Highfield-based side finished the introductory season of the country’s elite club cricket competition equal on points with Midwest but claimed the title thanks to their superior head-to-head record.
Midwest defeated the Great Zimbabwe Patriots by 16 runs at Old Hararians Sports Club for them to finish tied with Takashinga on 60 points.
According to Zimbabwe Cricket, Takashinga and Midwest both won six times and each recorded two losses during the competition, which left the result of their meeting as the decisive factor for the championship. Takashinga also had a better net run rate of +1.502, compared to Midwest’s plus +0.698.
Four NPL matches took place on Sunday across the country as the curtain came down on the club competition.
Rainbow Sharks finished third with a nine wicket win over Easterns who settled for fifth place. Harare Kings defeated Queens Sports Club by four wickets to finish fourth while their Bulawayo opponents were second from bottom.
Gladiators and Amakhosi finished sixth and seventh respectively, while the Great Zimbabwe Patriots ended at the bottom having won only a single match throughout the campaign.
Amakhosi had a great opportunity to topple Takashinga had they won their last two matches but it all fell apart for the Ainsley Ndlovu captained side. They first lost to Takashinga and on Sunday they went down by eight runs to Gladiators for a disappointing end to what promised to be a fruitful campaign.
@Mdawini_29
Online Reporter