Brandon Moyo [email protected]
TUSKERS got their 2026/27 Pro50 Championship campaign off to a brilliant start with a three-wicket victory over Mega Market Mountaineers at Mutare Sports Club on Friday afternoon.
The Bulawayo-based side, eager for a change of fortunes this season, were propelled to victory by half-centuries from Tafara Mupariwa and Ali Akbar Hamid, while useful contributions from Milton Shumba and Nkosana Mpofu also helped seal the win following a decent bowling effort.
After winning the toss and electing to field, Tuskers restricted Mountaineers to 234/7 in their allotted 50 overs before chasing down the target in 48 overs, finishing on 235/7.
Tuskers made a solid start with the ball, claiming three wickets inside 11 overs to leave Mountaineers struggling at 26/3 after 10.3 overs.
Debutant Jeffery Mhuriyengwe struck first for Tuskers, having Takudzwa Nyamugure caught for a seven-ball duck before Tinotenda Maposa dismissed Dion Myers, who was caught for a five-ball duck.
At that stage, the hosts were reeling at 3/2 after 2.3 overs. In the 11th over, Maposa claimed his second wicket of the innings when he had Alistair Frost caught behind for 20 off 30 deliveries, leaving Mountaineers at 26/3 after 10.3 overs.
However, an 87-run fourth-wicket partnership between Ronak Patel and Timycen Maruma revived the hosts’ innings. The partnership was eventually broken by Shumba, who had Maruma caught for 55 off 79 balls.
Luke Jongwe then joined the wicket-takers’ list by dismissing Simbarashe Mudzengerere, who was caught for 27 off 32 balls. In the following over, Shumba removed Patel, who was caught for 58 off 107 deliveries.
Mhuriyengwe claimed his second wicket, and the final one to fall, when he had Michael Frost caught for one run. Spencer Magodo remained unbeaten on 44 off just 23 deliveries.
Maposa, Mhuriyengwe and Shumba claimed two wickets apiece, while Jongwe picked up one.
Tuskers suffered an early setback in their chase, losing Brian Mudzinganyama for a five-ball duck in the second over.
Mpofu and Hamid then steadied the innings with a 51-run second-wicket partnership before Arinesto Vezha broke the stand, dismissing Mpofu for 35 off 51 balls.
A match-defining 121-run third-wicket partnership between Hamid and Mupariwa followed, putting Tuskers firmly in control of the chase. The stand was broken in the 36th over when Hamid was caught for 75 off 88 deliveries.
Mupariwa followed in the 38th over, departing for 58 off 70 balls, with Tuskers at 189/4.
Despite losing three more wickets, with Clive Madande and Munashe Chimusoro scoring six runs apiece and Jongwe departing for a duck, Tuskers held their nerve to secure victory.
Shumba remained resolute at the crease, finishing unbeaten on 39 off 43 balls to guide his side home.
Patel and Vezha claimed two wickets apiece for Mountaineers, while Victor Nyauchi, Prosper Mugeri and Frost took one wicket each.
The two sides will meet again on Sunday at the same venue.
In the other opening-day fixture, Eagles secured a 58-run victory over defending champions Southern Rocks under the Duckworth-Lewis (D/L) method at Masvingo Sports Club.
