Wenslus Murape
One over from Mashford Shungu and a fine fifty from Clive Chitumba helped Westside to shatter Rangers’ unbeaten record in the NPL T20 Blast at Takashinga Sports Club on Tuesday and gain a five-wicket victory over the log leaders.
The victory secured the Mutare-based side a top-four finish which will see them take on the third-placed Gladiators in an eliminator match scheduled for 6.00 pm at Harare Sports Club on Thursday.
Earlier at the same venue, table-toppers Rangers and runners-up Takashinga Patriots 1 will face off in a qualifier match set to start at 1.45 pm to decide the first team to book a place in the tournament final.
At 6.00 pm tomorrow, the losing team from the first qualifier will play the winners of the eliminator match in a battle for the other spot in the final.
If the very last round-robin matches are anything to go by, the stage has been set for a thrilling finale.
As Westside went in needing a victory to secure a top-four finish, Shungu bowled the second over of the match, and in it he sensationally bowled out the prolific Jayden Schadendorf for one and Matthew Welch without scoring.
The position was recovered by Mathew Campbell, with 41 off 28 balls, and Alistair Frost, who batted for the rest of the innings for 81 not out off 54 balls, with five sixes and five fours.
However, Rangers were not able to score as freely as they would have liked, and Alex Smith, coming in after Campbell was out, stayed for more than 11 overs but could score only 27 runs off 33 balls.
Shungu’s figures of two wickets for 42 runs may appear not too impressive, but he played an important part in restricting the Rangers total to 153 for three wickets, and gave his team a target they could aim for.
Westside began rather shakily and had three wickets down for 50 runs in the sixth over, but the scoring rate was good.
Then came the partnership that won the match, as Chitumba scored 54 not out off 40 balls, aided by Definate Mawadzi with 39 off 32 balls in adding 79 for the fourth wicket.
Chitumba safely saw Westside to a great victory with nine balls in hand.
Campbell and Frost did their best for their team, adding two wickets apiece to their valuable innings, but the rest of the Rangers team failed to fire this time round.
At Old Hararians Sports Club, the spin bowling of Wellington Masakadza and Tapiwa Mufudza, followed by a fifty from Roy Kaia, were the main factors in a quite narrow three-wicket victory for Takashinga Patriots 1 over Mbizo.
Brief Scores
Rangers – 153-3 in 20 overs (Alistair Frost 81*, Mathew Campbell 41, Alex Smith 27*; Mashford Shungu 2/42, Prosper Mugeri 1/23)
Westside – 154-5 in 18.4 overs (Clive Chitumba 54*, Definate Mawadzi 39, Tariro Makauyo 32; Alistair Frost 2/25, Mathew Campbell 2/35, Jason Maritz 1/25)
Result: Westside won by five wickets
. . .
Mbizo – 138-6 in 20 overs (Walter Matawu 55*, Ronald Masocha 31*, Muhammad Anas Aqil 23; Wellington Masakadza 3/13, Tapiwa Mufudza 2/17)
Takashinga Patriots 1 – 141-7 in 18.4 overs (Roy Kaia 52, Cunningham Ncube 21, Timycen Maruma 19; Chiemelie Udekwe 3/31, Isaac Okpe 2/22, Ahsan Aqil Ali 1/19)
Result: Takashinga Patriots 1 won by three wickets
. . .
Queens Sports Club – 124-9 in 20 overs (Dalu Mboyi 42, Petros Sithole 16, Ian Fuzane 14; Wishnenzy Chapfombo 5/18, Talent Dzikiti 1/8, Marshall Takodza 1/18)
Takashinga Patriots 2 – 126-2 in 11.5 overs (Cephas Zhuwao 86*, Tino Chiwara 9, Tinashe Chimbambo 7*; Chris Mpofu 1/15, Munashe Chimusoro 1/17)
Result: Takashinga Patriots 2 won by eight wickets
. . .
Rainbow – 133 all out in 19.1 overs (Clive Imbayago 46, Terrence Makoroma 16, Victor Chirwa 15; Malcom Chikuhwa 5/27, Cromen Zinyama 3/13, Tapiwa Mushope 2/2)
Gladiators – 134-1 in 16.4 overs (Lennox Chando 70, Munyaradzi Chingoruma 28*, Panashe Taruvinga 22*; Victor Chirwa 1/13)
Result: Gladiators won by nine wickets
Online Reporter