Chronicle Editor
Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
A BRILLIANT display with ball in hand by the Tuskers bowlers ensured they complete a double over Rhinos in the Pro50 Championship cricket tournament with a 110-run triumph at Queens Sports Club yesterday.
It was the second win for Tuskers in the Pro50 Championship, having defeated Rhinos by six wickets at the same venue on Saturday.
Opener Cunningham Ncube top-scored with 65 runs off 99 deliveries, with Tuskers, who won the toss and opted to bat, bowled all out Rhinos for 191 in 44.1 overs. The Tuskers bowlers, led by left-arm spinner Sean Williams, were in terrific form, mopping up Rhinos for 81 runs in 26 overs.
Ncube had earlier on stood tall for Tuskers with the bat and found some useful partnerships to take the Bulawayo franchise to a decent total. Other notable contributions with the bat came from Williams with 38, Craig Ervine’s 26 and tail-ender Christopher Mpofu’s 19 runs.
Leg-spinners Brandon Mavuta and Ryan Burl were the chief destroyers for Rhinos with the ball as they claimed three wickets apiece.
Defending such a low total in 50 overs meant the Tuskers bowlers had to be on point from the start.
Lanky pace bowler Mpofu gave them a brilliant start with two early strikes, which saw him getting rid of Bothwell Chapungu and Takudzwanashe Kaitano. Left-arm spinner Ainsley Ndlovu struck in his first over to claim the prized wicket of Peter Moor.
Rhinos never recovered from the early setback and wobbled along as the Tuskers bowlers kept up the pressure.
Williams was just unplayable as he finished with four wickets for 16 runs off six overs. Off-break bowler John Nyumbu was equally hard to put away, claiming two wickets at the expense of nine runs in five overs, two of those being maidens. Mpofu and Ndlovu also finished with two wickets each.
Just to show how Rhinos struggled with the bat, Tarisai Musakanda top scored for the Kwekwe-based franchise with 29, while Burl was second with 25.
With Tuskers having played all their six Logan Cup matches in Harare, Bulawayo cricket fans showed just how much they missed watching the game with good crowds witnessed over the two days.
Tuskers now head to the capital where they will face off against Eagles at Harare Sports Club on Friday.
Mountaineers are their next opponents at Takashinga Cricket Club on March 3, with the two teams clashing again at the same venue two days later.
It’s yet to be seen where the final, scheduled for March 8, will take place as Zimbabwe Cricket is yet to announce the venue for the tournament decider. — @Mdawini_29
Online Reporter