Eagles complete turnaround to storm into men’s T20 final

Southern Rocks – 146-5 in 20 overs (Roy Kaia 38, Cephas Zhuwao 31, Richmond Mutumbami 27*; Wessly Madhevere 3/22, Brad Evans 1/30)

Alliance Health Eagles – 147-3 in 18.1 overs (Tinashe Kamunhukamwe 77, Wessly Madhevere 22*, Kudzai Maunze 19; Roy Kaia 2/13) 

 

Alliance Health Eagles won by seven wickets

 

Tinashe Kamunhukamwe’s dazzling innings of 77 off just 53 balls propelled Alliance Health Eagles to a seven-wicket victory over Southern Rocks at Old Hararians Sports Club on Tuesday.

 

The victory saw them storming into the Domestic T20 Competition final, completing a remarkable turnaround after they lost their first two matches of the tournament.

Rocks had decided to bat on winning the toss.

Their not-so-secret weapon, Cephas Zhuwao, launched the innings with typical power, smashing two sixes and two fours as he raced to 31 off 23 balls.

Then, with the score 43 in the fifth over, Brad Evans dismissed him lbw, to the great relief of his team.

His partner Innocent Kaia soon followed him for seven and, with Tadiwanashe Marumani going for 15 and Tafadzwa Tsiga for 10, the innings was in danger of losing its way at 71 for four in the 10th over.

Then came a vital partnership, as Richmond Mutumbami joined Roy Kaia and the pair, scoring at a run a ball, put on 61 in just over nine overs, with Kaia run out for 38 at the end of the 19th over.

Mutumbami finished with 27 not out as the innings closed on 146 for five wickets.

Wessly Madhevere again did an excellent job with the ball, taking three wickets for 22 in his four overs.

Eagles soon gave notice of their determination to win again as Kamunhukamwe and Kudzai Maunze got the innings going at a cracking rate.

 

By the time Roy Kaia bowled Maunze for 19 off only 10 balls in the fourth over, the score was already 35.

Chamu Chibhabha played a steady supporting role to score 15 off 26 balls as he put on 45 in seven overs with Kamunhukamwe.

After he was caught at the wicket, also off Roy Kaia, Madhevere took over while Kamunhukamwe went from strength to strength.

Victory was virtually assured when Kamunhukamwe was run out from a throw by Marumani for 77, with the score now 130 for three in the 17th over – he faced only 53 balls and hit two sixes and eight fours.

It took only another 10 balls for Eagles to complete their victory, with Madhevere not out with 22 and Evans with eight.

Roy Kaia was not only his side’s top batter in this match, but also their best bowler, as in his four overs he took two wickets and conceded only 13 runs.

 

Eagles will now face table-toppers Mountaineers in the Domestic T20 Competition final scheduled for Saturday at Harare Sports Club.

 

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Tuskers – 116-9 in 20 overs (Milton Shumba 35, Thabo Mboyi 17, Bright Phiri 15; John Masara 2/9, Tendai Chatara 2/20, Shingi Masakadza 2/34)

Mountaineers – 118-2 in 16.3 overs (Kevin Kasuza 70*, Tony Munyonga 21*, PJ Moor 14; John Nyumbu 1/19, Ainsley Ndlovu 1/13)

 

Mountaineers won by eight wickets

A brilliant innings of 70 not out by Kevin Kasuza swept Mountaineers to a fine victory by eight wickets over Tuskers at Harare Sports Club on Tuesday.

Tuskers decided to bat first on winning the toss, but the move never really looked like coming off successfully.

Neither did the promotion of Clive Madande to open the batting, as he was bowled by Tendai Chatara for six in the second over.

Bright Phiri, the other opener, did his best for the team, hitting three fours as he scored 15 off 13 balls before being caught off Tinashe Muchawaya.

After that Milton Shumba was the only batter who shaped up well, as he ran to 35 off 29 balls, hitting a six and four fours.

But he could not find a reliable partner, and the other middle-order batters were all soon dismissed for single-figure scores, although Luke Jongwe (9) might have made something of his innings had he not been run out.

Eight wickets were down for 88 before there came the highest partnership of the innings – but this was worth only 22 for the ninth wicket, as Thabo Mboyi made 17 off 15 balls, along with Sheu Musekwa, who was nine not out when the innings closed for a disappointing 116 for nine wickets.

Four Mountaineers bowlers shared the wickets, with John Masara coming off best with two for nine in his three overs, while Chatara and Shingi Masakadza also took two wickets each.

The result was not long in any doubt, as Kasuza opened the Mountaineers innings with a blaze of strokes.

His partner, PJ Moor, scored 14 off 16 balls and when he was caught off John Nyumbu the score was 67 in the ninth over.

Spencer Magodo was out for seven, but by now the score was 88 for two in the 12th over.

Tony Munyonga decided to give Kasuza some rivalry, and he hit out to such purpose that off 17 balls he hit 21 not out and blasted a six off Shumba to win the match in the 17th over.

Kasuza finished unbeaten with 70, scored off only 54 balls, and it included a six and three fours.

Nyumbu was the only regular bowler to escape serious punishment, as his four overs cost 19 runs and he took the wicket of Moor.

Mountaineers have won all four of their round-robin matches in this competition and will now meet Eagles in the final scheduled for Saturday.

 

2021/22 DOMESTIC T20 COMPETITION POINTS TABLE