adminOn Saturday, Tuskers were the first to bat and managed 211 runs for the loss of eight wickets and yesterday they lost by five runs.
Graig Ervine was Tuskers’ highest scorer getting 62 runs after facing 85 balls. He hit five fours and got the ball over the boundary for a six once before being bowled out by national team spinner Prosper Utseya.
Utseya went on to claim another important wicket for his team when he took out hard-hitting Charles
“Chopper” Coventry who came short of seven runs to hit a half century.
Manicaland Mountaineers captain and opening batsman Tinotenda Mawoyo’s 89 runs and Kevin Kasuza’s 81 runs set the visitors on a good start as they comfortably scored 212 runs after losing three wickets.
Tuskers’ spin bowler John Nyumbu took Mawoyo and Hamilton Masakadza’s wickets before national team fast bowler Christopher Mpofu bowling out Kasuza.
Tuskers caretaker coach Wayne James was disappointed that his team lost their opening matches but was hopeful that they are going to do better in their next game against Southern Rocks in Masvingo next weekend.
“Obviously it’s disappointing to lose any game but I must say we came short in batting. To be realistic we need to have four or five of the seven batsmen doing well but if they don’t do well it becomes difficult.
In the One-Day game had we scored 30 more runs we could have sealed the game because
Mountaineers made a turnaround with two or so overs left. We are going back to the drawing board to work on our shortcomings but I am confident that we are going to get it right in our next game,” said James.
James said the positive thing about their Twenty20 loss was that at one time they were in control of the game and said had they picked more single runs, they could have won the tie.
Ervine was the toast of the day for Tuskers, scoring 71 runs off 80 balls with Coventry getting 31.
Bongani Ndlovu