Zimbabwe Select — 204-6 in 20 overs (Tarisai Musakanda 73*, Bothwell Chapungu 62, Brian Chari 31; Natsai M’shangwe 2/22, Brandon Mavuta 1/26, Faraz Akram 1/43)
Board XI — 168-8 in 20 overs (Chamu Chibhabha 69, Tinashe Kamunhukamwe 27, Ryan Murray 18; Wellington Masakadza 2/16, Tendai Chisoro 2/19, Chris Mpofu 2/29)
Zimbabwe Select won by 36 runs
Brilliant fifties from Bothwell Chapungu and Tarisai Musakanda took the Zimbabwe Select side to a score of over 200 and proved instrumental in their 36-run win against the Board XI at Takashinga Cricket Club on Sunday afternoon.
The Select won the toss and decided to bat.
Brian Chari drove the first ball of the innings just over the head of the cover and was dropped at fine leg off the third ball, so the day’s story of missed catches continued.
Chapungu, in particular, was in fine form, and the fifty came up without loss in the sixth over, of which Chapungu had 37.
Chapungu reached his 50 off 32 balls, and the partnership reached 98 in the 11th over before Chari was trapped lbw to Natsai M’shangwe for 31.
One run later Chapungu himself was caught on the midwicket boundary for 62, scored off 37 balls, having hit nine fours and two sixes.
There followed a good partnership between Musakanda and Ryan Burl, who put on 46 together before Burl tried a reverse sweep and was clean bowled by Brandon Mavuta for 18; 145 for three in the 17th over.
Musakanda went on to reach a dazzling 50 off 26 balls, but in the 19th over he lost Kevin Kasuza, run out for three, and Malcolm Waller, caught without scoring off Faraz Akram; 187 for five.
The final total was 204 for six, with Musakanda not out with 73, scored off 34 balls with six sixes and four fours, and Tendai Chisoro run out off the final delivery for five.
The leg-spinner M’shangwe, with two for 22 off his four overs, was much the most successful bowler, all the others taking severe punishment.
The Board XI made a belligerent start to their innings, with Tinashe Kamunhukamwe hitting the first two balls of the innings, from Chisoro, for four each.
Kyle Jarvis, returning to his team, had his first delivery pulled by Chamu Chibhabha to the boundary and his fifth driven for six; 13 off the over.
In his second over Jarvis had Kamunhukamwe dropped near the midwicket boundary, yet another missed chance, and the batsman celebrated by pulling a huge six off his next delivery; after four overs 47 runs were on the board without loss.
With the score on 57 in the fifth over, however, Kamunhukamwe popped up a ball from Chris Mpofu on the off side and was caught for 27, scored off 14 balls.
In the next over Hamilton Masakadza, after hitting two fours, was caught at the wicket off Chisoro; 66 for two.
At 78, PJ Moor (2) was caught on the midwicket boundary off Wellington Masakadza, and the Select were on top again.
Chibhabha was still there and fighting, though, and swung a ball from Liam Roche over the leg boundary to bring up the 100 in the 11th over, reaching his own fifty off 34 balls, and lose another ball outside the ground.
However, he gave his wicket away with a very soft dismissal for 69, popping a ball from Wellington Masakadza up for a catch at extra cover; 119 for four in the 13th over.
At 134, the Select struck another blow when Ryan Murray was trapped lbw by Mpofu for 18; 134 for five off 15 overs, and the run rate was now over 14, with Faraz Akram joining Nyasha Mayavo at the crease.
The partnership lasted just a single run before Mayavo swung across the line and was bowled by Chisoro for five, and this virtually ended the Board XI’s chances.
Hard though the remaining batsmen tried, the task was inevitably too great for them.
Akram was bowled by Waller for 15, and the innings ended on 168 for eight, M’shangwe being caught off the final delivery for six, leaving Mavuta unbeaten with 11.
Of the bowlers, there were two wickets each for Chisoro, Masakadza and Mpofu, but Burl’s four overs for just 20 runs also played a vital part in curbing the batsmen’s progress.
This was the Select’s fifth win in five matches, a perfect record in this triangular series also involving Kenya.
