Maunze stars with bat as Eagles record first T20 victory

Alliance Health Eagles – 159-4 in 18 overs (Kudzai Maunze 78, Chamu Chibhabha 45, Wessly Madhevere 19; Tashinga Musekiwa 1/14, Jabulisa Tshuma 1/20, Trevor Gwandu 1/34)

Rhinos – 24-5 in 6.1 overs (Takudzwanashe Kaitano 12, Prince Masvaure 8*, Tashinga Musekiwa 2; Wessly Madhevere 3/6, Richard Ngarava 1/4, Tapiwa Mufudza 1/14)

Alliance Health Eagles won by 48 runs (Duckworth-Lewis method)

A magnificent second-wicket partnership between Kudzai Maunze and Chamu Chibhabha swept Alliance Health Eagles to a Duckworth-Lewis victory over Rhinos in their Domestic T20 Competition match at Harare Sports Club on Monday.

The eventual declared margin of 38 runs completely obscures the dominance that Eagles had throughout the match, thanks largely to this partnership.

Rain before the start reduced this match to 18 overs per side.

Tinashe Kamunhukamwe, Eagles having been put in to bat, hit a four and was then caught at the wicket off Charlton Tshuma’s third delivery.

There followed that powerful partnership of 117 in 12 overs between Maunze and the captain, Chibhabha.

Chibhabha was the first to go with 45 off 37 balls, with a six and six fours, but Maunze was even more dynamic.

He soon followed Chibhabha, having scored 78 runs off only 44 balls, with five sixes and six fours.

Although Wessly Madhevere scored 19, the batting at the death was not very effective, but thanks to that major partnership the total was a very good one of 159 for four wickets.

None of the bowlers enjoyed much success, and all went for more than a run a ball.

The first three overs of the Rhinos innings virtually removed all their hopes of a successful run chase.

Takudzwanashe Kaitano scored 12 runs off the first 11 balls, but was then caught off Tapiwa Mufudza.

In the next over Madhevere had Nyasha Mayavo and Tarisai Musakanda both lbw in quick succession, so that three top wickets went down within five balls bowled, and the score was 14 for three.

This became 20 for four when Madhevere in his next over took Tashinga Musekiwa (two) for his third victim, and then Ngarava bowled Johnathan Campbell for one – 24 for five after six overs.

Prince Masvaure was still there with eight, having had less of the bowling, and he faced one more ball from Madhevere before the umpires called a halt due to bad light.

The match was called off at five o’clock with no more play possible, and under any regulations that could be invented Eagles would have been declared winners.

This was their first Domestic T20 Competition victory in three matches.

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Southern Rocks – 121-8 in 18 overs (Tadiwanashe Marumani 24, Innocent Kaia 24, Cephas Zhuwao 21; Victor Nyauchi 3/16, Wellington Masakadza 3/25, John Masara 1/23)

Mountaineers – 60-3 in 7 overs (Kevin Kasuza 29, Tony Munyonga 14*, Wellington Masakadza 5*; Cuthbert Musoko 1/7, Sydney Murombo 1/7, Nkosilathi Nungu 1/16)

Mountaineers won by 13 runs (Duckworth-Lewis method) 

A fluent innings of 29 by Mountaineers opening batter Kevin Kasuza proved to be the vital factor in his team’s Duckworth-Lewis victory by 13 runs over Southern Rocks at Old Hararians on Monday.

Rocks chose, unusually in T20 cricket, to bat first in what was also reduced to an 18-over contest, but they failed to make the most of it.

Although they batted quite consistently, with six men reaching double figures, not one of them reached 25 and played the major innings that is usually necessary for a big score.

Cephas Zhuwao faced just nine balls, hitting a six and three fours in scoring 21 runs, but was then cut off when Tendai Chatara caught him off the bowling of Victor Nyauchi.

Innocent Kaia and Tadiwanashe Marumani both scored 24, but after pair was out at 72 for three in the eighth over, the remaining batters could make only 49 more runs in the last 10 overs.

Richmond Mutumbami was the best of these with 15 off 12 balls, and the final total was 121 for eight wickets.

Nyauchi was again their best bowler, taking three wickets for 16 in his three overs, while Wellington Masakadza took three for 25 in four.

When Mountaineers batted, Kasuza was out of the blocks immediately, playing some brilliant attacking strokes, so after four overs the score, helped by eight extras, was 40 for two wickets, of which Kasuza had 26 off 16 balls.

But two wickets had also fallen at that stage, PJ Moor being caught at the wicket for one and Spencer Magodo out for three.

At 53 Kasuza went, bowled by Sydney Murombo for 29 off 23 balls, but Tony Munyonga and Wellington Masakadza took six runs off the next four balls – at which point the umpires took the players from the field for bad light.

They were never able to return, and so Mountaineers were declared winners on the back of Kasuza’s little cameo.

This keeps them on top of the tournament table, having won all three of their matches so far.

2021/22 DOMESTIC T20 COMPETITION POINTS TABLE