Chronicle Editor
Brandon Moyo, Sports Reporter
TUSKERS tasted their first defeat in the 2022/23 Pro50 Championship cricket competition after going down by 26 runs to Mountaineers at Mutare Sports Club yesterday.
Pace bowler Ernest Masuku picked up five wickets for 38 runs in 8.2 overs, his third five wicket haul in List A cricket, Mountaineers bowled out for 205 runs in 44.2 overs. Tuskers failed in their run chase as they were blown away for 179 in 32.3 overs.
Peter Moor top scored for Mountaineers with 67 runs in 80 deliveries and Tinashe Muchawaya was second best on 35.
Tuskers got their run chase off to a disastrous start when they wobbled to 73/6. Skipper Ainsley Ndlovu pulled out a gallant fight with the bat as he was the team’s top scorer with 42 runs and was supported by Masuku who scored 30 runs.
The win was Mountaineers’ first of the season in three matches after the first one was tied and they lost the other against Rhinos.
Despite the defeat, Tuskers remained on top of the league standings with 40 points after winning their first four. Their next match is tomorrow and the lads from Bulawayo will be hoping to bounce back to their winning ways. – @brandon_malvin
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derick.khumalo