Maunze, Kamunhukamwe hit fifties before rain washes out game

Alliance Health Eagles – 193-4 in 36.1 overs (Kudzai Maunze 74, Tinashe Kamunhukamwe 62, Marshal Takodza 37*; Brighton Chipungu 2/51, John Masara 1/21, Shingi Masakadza 1/33)

Mountaineers –

No result

Sparkling innings from Kudzai Maunze and Tinashe Kamunhukamwe dominated the play at Harare Sports Club on Friday in the second Pro50 Championship match between Alliance Health Eagles and Mountaineers, before rain washed out the game.

Eagles won the toss on their home ground, but, after their defeat batting second in Wednesday’s match, they broke with tradition this time round by deciding to bat first.

By the time the rain came they must have felt well pleased with this decision, as they were in a good position to build a very challenging total for Mountaineers to chase down.

Kamunhukamwe began the innings with some fine aggressive strokes, taking the attack to the bowlers, and Victor Nyauchi’s opening spell of four overs cost 27 runs.

Eagles did lose the wicket of Gareth Chirawu, bowled by Shingi Masakadza for five.

But Maunze settled in well with Kamunhukamwe and the two of them quite dominated the bowling as they took the score to 97 before Kamunhukamwe was caught off Brighton Chipungu for a dynamic 62 off 65 balls.

Chamu Chibhabha scored only five, but Marshal Takodza next provided Maunze with a good partner, and another good start took the score to 188 before Chipungu also dismissed Maunze, who had made 74 from 80 balls.

Brad Evans had just come in when the rain began and the players left the field with the score 193 for four wickets in the 37th over –  Takodza had 37 and Evans two.

Chipungu was the most successful bowler, with two wickets for 51, having completed his 10 overs, but all the bowlers were expensive except for John Masara, who in six overs took the wicket of Chibhabha for 21 runs.

There was so much rain that the match had to be abandoned by mid-afternoon, with Eagles probably the more disappointed team.

This match was their exit from the competition, while Mountaineers will challenge Southern Rocks in the Pro50 Championship final on a date yet to be confirmed.

2021/22 PRO50 CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS TABLE

*Southern Rocks docked one point and Rhinos three points for slow over rate