Takashinga Patriots 2 – 76-4 in 10 overs (Cunningham Ncube 37*, Brian Majoka 25*, Tinashe Nenhunzi 6; Charlton tshuma 2/4, Thamsanqa Nunu 1/10, Brandon Mavuta 1/12)
Bulawayo Athletic Club – 80-4 in 9 overs (Brandon James 21, Thamsanqa Nunu 15*, Brandon Mavuta 13; Wishnanzy Chapfombo 1/6, Honest Ziwira 1/11, Nigel Mupurura 1/13)
Bulawayo Athletic Club won by six wickets
Charlton Tshuma’s two wickets in his opening over gave Bulawayo Athletic Club (BAC) an advantage over Takashinga Patriots 2 that they never lost in the first Zim Cyber-City Domestic T10 match at Harare Sports Club on Saturday morning, and in the end they won this game by six wickets.
BAC put Takashinga in to bat and immediately had them in trouble.
Within four deliveries Tshuma bowled out Kudzai Maunze and had Tariro Mukauyo caught at the wicket with only two runs on the board.
Tinashe Nenhunzi (6) was soon lbw to Thamsanga Nunu and Daichi Nyandoro lbw to Brandon Mavuta for three, leaving Takashinga reeling at 24 for four after five overs.
Cunningham Ncube, now back to good form, was joined by Brian Majoka and the two batted admirably for the remaining five, with Ncube finishing the innings on 37 off 29 balls and Majoka 25 off 13.
But T10 allows no time for recovery for teams that suffer bad starts, and the total after 10 overs was only 76 for four.
Tshuma took his two wickets for four runs, but strangely did not get to bowl a second over.
Seven bowlers had their turn in the 10 overs, and Prince Kaunda, a bowling hero in their previous match, this time had 24 runs hit off his two overs without taking a wicket.
Takashinga were however by no means out of the match, as the BAC batting has not proved reliable in this tournament.
They also made a bad start, with Nkosana Mpofu recording another duck, bowled third ball by Nenhunzi with eight runs on the board.
Nyasha Mayavo was out for seven, but Brandon James came out swinging, quickly hitting a six and two fours, before being bowled by Honest Ziwira for 21 – 40 for three in the sixth over.
After that BAC continued safely towards their target: Brandon Mavuta made 13 off eight balls, while Nunu with 15 not out off 13 played a sound anchor role.
Tanatswa Bechani, with 11 not out off five balls, made sure his team got home in time, and with six balls in hand BAC crossed the line with a total of 80 for four wickets.
Nigel Mupurura was the steadiest of the bowlers, taking one wicket for 13 in his two overs.
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Gladiators – 80-4 in 10 overs (Wessly Madhevere 31, Tatenda Matimbe 20*, Masimba Marovatsanga 11′ Tinashe Muchawaya 2/8, John Masara 1/16)
Westside – 81-3 in 9.5 overs (Tinashe Chiorah 37*, Clive Chitumba 33*, Definite Mawadzi 8; Owen Muzondo 3/6)
Westside won by seven wickets
A superb unbroken partnership of 62 between Clive Chitumba and Tinashe Chiorah not only pulled Westside out of trouble but won the match for them in a thrilling finish by six wickets with just one ball to spare.
Gladiators lost the wicket of Lennox Chando to the second ball of the innings, caught by Kudzai Sauramba at the wicket off Tinashe Muchawaya without a run, and Owen Muzondo was bowled by John Masara for six.
The captain, Tatenda Matimbe, played a steady game, but Wessly Madhevere seemed to find number four a better position in the order for him this time, as he played a sparkling innings of 31 off 19 balls (two sixes, two fours) before Masara caught him off Muchawaya.
Matimbe was unbeaten at the end of the innings with 20 not out off 22 balls, while Masimba Marovatsanga scored 11 off seven balls before being run out off the final ball of the innings.
The total was 80 for only four wickets after 10 overs.
Muchawaya was much the best of the bowlers, taking two valuable wickets for eight runs in his two overs.
Chitumba began the Westside innings with a six off Marovatsanga, but the second over, bowled by Muzondo, brought them disaster, as his first two balls saw Kevin Kasuza caught at the wicket and Muchawaya bowled.
Definite Mawadzi was caught by Madhevere off Muzondo for eight to make the score 19 for three in the fourth over, and Gladiators at this stage looked to be on top.
Then came the vital partnership between Chitumba and Chiorah, who steadied the innings and increased the run rate.
After eight overs the score was 59, with 22 needed off the last two overs to win the match.
The batters were up to the job, as 12 runs came from Matimbe’s next over, mostly to Chiorah, who hit him for two fours.
Marovatsanga bowled with 10 needed for victory, and with some good running and a four to third man by Chitumba to level the scores, the heroic deed was done off the fifth ball.
Chitumba finished with 33 off 27 balls (two sixes and a four) and Chiorah with 37 off only 22 (two sixes, three fours).
Muzondo had almost won the match for Gladiators with his two overs for three wickets and only six runs, but the other bowlers could not keep the match-winning pair in check.
ZIM CYBER-CITY DOMESTIC T10 POINTS TABLE
| TEAM | M | W | L | T | N/R | PT | NRR |
| Great Zimbabwe | 7 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 2.974 |
| Harare Kings | 7 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 2.586 |
| Takashinga Patriots 1 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 1.299 |
| Lions | 7 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 6 | -0.104 |
| Westside | 7 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 6 | -0.786 |
| Bulawayo Athletic Club | 7 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 6 | -1.572 |
| Gladiators | 7 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 2 | -1.006 |
| Takashinga Patriots 2 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 2 | -3.202 |
