dyton mupawaenda
Don Makanyanga–Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE men cricket team are guaranteed at least a medal in the African Games cricket after thumping Kenya by 70 runs in the semi-final in Accra, Ghana yesterday.
They meet Namibia in the final tomorrow.
Namibia stunned previously unbeaten Uganda in the other semi-final,
While the eventual margin of victory suggests a comfortable win, there were some nervy moments early in Kenya’s reply as they seemed up to the task.
However, the bowling attack managed to claw back and restrict Kenya to 126 runs.
Zimbabwe’s bowling attack was led by Owen Muzondo who claimed four wickets in his four overs for 18 runs while Kudakwashe Macheka claimed three wickets.
Wallace Mubaiwa, Tashinga Musekiwa, and Jonathan Campell claimed a wicket apiece.
Muzondo claimed three wickets in the 13th over to effectively hand Zimbabwe victory.
Earlier, the Chevrons won the toss and elected to bat first before setting a competitive target of 197 runs.
Unlike in their final group match against Nigeria, Zimbabwe had a slow start to their innings as they managed to score 35 runs for the loss of two wickets inside the power play.
Despite a slow start, Zimbabwe found their footing in the innings with some splendid batting performance to post 196 runs for the loss of five wickets in 20 overs.
The Zimbabwe batting attack put up a combined effort.
Musekiwa put up Chevron’s best performance in the innings, scoring 39 runs from 10 balls.
Campell and captain Clive Madande scored 42 and 41 from 27 and 23 balls respectively.
Marumani who was three runs shy from getting a half-century against Nigeria on Wednesday was dismissed for nine runs from 13 balls while his opening partner Rodney Mupfudza was dismissed for 14 runs from 12 balls.
Brian Bennet scored 27 runs off 29 balls.
Chasing a target of 197 runs, Kenya had a blistering start to their innings as they maximised the field restrictions of the power-play scoring 53 runs for the loss of one wicket inside six overs.
The opening partnership of veteran Collins Obuya and Mugabe contributed 45 runs before the departure of the later in the fifth over. Obuya remained a threat for Chevrons before he was dismissed for 52 off 28 balls in the twelfth over.
The dismissal of Obuya opened the floodgates for Zimbabwe as Kenya lost four wickets inside two overs.
Online Reporter