Tuskers – 269-7 in 50 overs (Alvin Chiradza 50*, Milton Shumba 50, Brian Chari 45; Kudzai Maunze 3/32, Wessly Madhevere 2/45, Tanaka Chivanga 1/50)
Alliance Health Eagles – 254 all out in 45.3 overs (Tadiwanashe Marumani 100, Wessly Madhevere 48, Chamu Chibhabha 36; Sheunopa Musekwa 4/48, Milton Shumba 2/34, Ernest Masuku 2/39)
Tuskers won by 15 runs
A brilliant century from Tadiwanashe Marumani was not enough for Alliance Health Eagles to overcome some fine consistent teamwork from Tuskers, who beat them again on Monday in the Pro50 Championship at Harare Sports Club by 15 runs.
This time Tuskers won the toss and decided to bat first, after their victory doing so on Saturday.
They were given a brisk start by Nkosana Mpofu and Tanu Makoni, although they could have hoped to score more runs when both were dismissed for 20 by the end of eight overs.
Brian Chari and Milton Shumba took over the crease, with Chari showing fine form with 45 runs off 61 balls, with seven fours in his innings.
He was out at 130 for three in the 28th over, and Tuskers looked well set for a big score.
Shumba played the anchor role, while his partners went after the bowling more vigorously.
Clive Madande scored 31 off 34 balls, in a partnership of 44 with Shumba, and was followed by Alvin Chiradza, who hit out well.
Shumba reached his fifty without really speeding up his scoring rate, but was then out without addition, having faced 95 balls and hit only three fours
The score was then 193 for five in the 41st over, and there was some pressure on the remaining batters now to increase the rate.
Ernest Masuku soon went for five, but Ainsley Ndlovu fitted the bill, hitting out vigorously to push the score along with Chiradza.
The latter reached a fine fifty and was not out with that score at the end of the innings, scored off 44 balls with a six and three fours.
Ndlovu, the quickest scorer of his team, made 27 off 19 balls before he was out in the final over – the total was 269 for seven wickets.
The most effective Eagles bowlers were the batting and off-spinning all-rounders Wessly Madhevere, with two wickets for 45, and Kudzai Maunze, three for 32.
Tuskers this time had worked out how to play the spin of Tapiwa Mufudza, whose 10 overs cost 46 runs without a wicket.
The pace bowlers Faraz Akram and Tanaka Chivanga were also unable to make an impact, bowling between them 17 overs for 104 runs and only the wicket of Ndlovu in the final over to show for it.
Eagles went in after lunch and chased their target eagerly.
Regis Chakabva opened with Marumani and cracked four fours before he was bowled by Masuku for 16 in the third over with the score already 29 for one.
Craig Ervine was out for 10 off 22 balls with the score at 60 in the 13th over.
Then came the big partnership of the innings, as the veteran one-day specialist Chamu Chibhabha joined the dynamic youngster Marumani and they took on the bowlers together.
When Chibhabha was caught at the wicket off Tanatswa Bechani the score was 140, more than half their target, in the 28th over – he scored 36 off 49 balls with a six and three fours.
Maunze was out for nine, but Madhevere proved to be another worthy partner as Marumani powered on towards three figures.
He successfully brought up his hundred, but was then immediately stumped by Madande off the bowling of Sheu Musekwa for that exact score.
He faced only 108 balls and hit three sixes and 11 fours – Eagles were now 195 for five in the 36th over.
That wicket was the turning point of the innings, as Tuskers now began to take control.
Tinashe Kamunhukamwe and Faraz Akram were both out for a single each – 214 for seven in the 40th over.
This left Madhevere as the only recognised batter, although Chivanga did his best and gave him spirited support.
Madhevere reached 48 off 40 balls, but then he was bowled out by Masuku at 223 for eight, and the match looked to be as good as over.
Chivanga made some bold strokes, but the task was now too great, and he was last out for 18 as Musekwa finished off the innings and the match.
The total was 254, 15 runs short of the Tuskers score.
Musekwa finished with four wickets for 48 runs off eight overs and three balls, while there were two wickets each for Masuku and Shumba.
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Rhinos – 310-9 in 50 overs (Nyasha Mayavo 88, Johnathan Campbell 41, Carl Mumba 39; Takudzwa Chataira 4/78, Keith Jaure 2/51, Tendai Chisoro 2/52)
Southern Rocks – 292 all out in 49.1 overs (William Mashinge 83, Tafadzwa Tsiga 55, Cephas Zhuwao 48; Brandon Mavuta 3/31, Trevor Gwandu 3/57, Prince Masvaure 2/40)
Rhinos won by 18 runs
Nyasha Mayavo, with an excellent innings of 88, and Brandon Mavuta, with three vital wickets for only 31 runs, were the heroes for Rhinos at Masvingo Sports Club on Monday as they avenged their Saturday defeat to beat Southern Rocks by 18 runs in an exciting finish.
Rocks again won the toss and put Rhinos in to bat, but they could not have been so happy about the result this time, as their visitors ran up 310 all out in exactly 50 overs.
Rhinos knew that they would probably have to amass a big total against the powerful hitters of Rocks, but they lost Takudzwanashe Kaitano (9) and Charles Kunje (22) early on.
When Prince Masvaure was bowled by Tendai Chisoro for 20 off 43 balls, three wickets were down for 66 in the 14th over and the innings was at a crossroads.
But from then on, the situation improved, due mainly to Mayavo playing one of the finest innings of his career.
Tarisai Musakanda made a useful 20, but Mayavo was the man who stayed, and Johnathan Campbell proved a fine partner with 41 off 42 balls as they added 70 in 14 overs.
Consistent batting down the order was a major factor for Rhinos, as after Kaitano the next eight batters all scored 20 or more.
However, when Mayavo was finally out for 88 in the 46th over – scored off 108 balls with a six and nine fours – Rhinos looked certain to fall short of the 300 total that was probably their minimum desire.
But then Carl Mumba joined Tashinga Musekiwa at the crease and the two of them turned in an amazing exhibition of powerful hitting in the remaining overs.
The last four overs, from Keith Jaure and Takudzwa Charaira, went for 15, 17, 17 and 12 runs respectively.
Mumba was the more spectacular, as he raced to 39 off just 15 balls, including five sixes.
Musekiwa, getting less of the bowling, did just as well, though, to score 24 off nine balls, with three sixes.
The pair added 56 runs off only 20 balls and, before Musekiwa was the last man out off the final delivery of the innings, the score had been taken to 310, a fine challenge even for the Rocks batters.
The inexperienced paceman Chataira, in only his second provincial match, took four wickets in his 10 overs, but they cost him 78 runs.
There were two wickets each for Jaure and Chisoro, but as usual the spinners were the most economical, especially Dylan Hondo, who failed to take a wicket but conceded only 39 runs in his 10 overs.
Rocks set off after their target with determination.
Much depended on Cephas Zhuwao, and he did not fail, as he blazed his way to 48 off 26 balls, with four sixes and four fours, before he was bowled by Mavuta, the most vital wicket – 70 for one in 10 overs.
Rocks then briefly faltered, as eight runs later Brian Mudzinganyama, who had played a valuable supporting role, went for 18, while Ben Curran (14) and Richmond Mutumbami (5) did not last long.
When Blessed Muzite went for 10, the score was 136 for five in the 24th over and Rhinos appeared to be taking control.
But Tafadzwa Tsiga was at the other end playing an invaluable innings, reaching 55 off 66 balls, and he was joined by William Mashinge.
When Tsiga went at 183 in the 36th over, Mashinge took charge, playing a superb attacking game with good support from Chisoro with 12 and Hondo, who made a rare but vital contribution of 23 off 20 balls.
When the last man, Chataira, came in the score was 251 for nine after 45 overs, and the match seemed to be lost.
But Mashinge took charge in remarkable fashion, as he hit powerfully and monopolised the bowling.
However, 19 runs were still needed off the final over and Mumba came on to bowl it.
His first delivery had Mashinge edging the ball to the wicket-keeper Mayavo and the match was over.
Mashinge had scored 83 from 77 balls, with five sixes and three fours, and the total was 292.
Mavuta was the pick of the Rhinos bowlers, taking three wickets for only 31 runs in his 10 overs, including the vital scalps of Zhuwao and Mutumbami.
Trevor Gwandu took three for 57, but from seven overs this was expensive, while Masvaure also had two wickets to his credit.
