Westside defeat Scorpions, Takashinga make short work of BAC

Scorpions – 91 all out in 21.4 overs (Costa Zhou 53, Gratitude Jaya 13, Nkosilathi Nungu 8; Frank Mazviita 4/27, Fortune Mhlanga 3/18, Prosper Mugeri 2/28)

Westside – 92-6 in 14.2 overs (Prosper Mugeri 34*, Kevin Kasuza 29, Bright Njanji 7; Tatenda Murove 3/9, Jayden Schadendorf 1/19, Costa Zhou 1/20)

Westside won by four wickets

Fine bowling by Fortune Mhlanga and Prosper Mugeri so shattered the Scorpions top-order batters that they were never able to recover and slipped to a four-wicket defeat at the hands of Westside in their National Premier League (NPL) fixture at Mutare Sports Club on Thursday.

Both bowlers took two wickets in the first three overs of the match, after Scorpions had been put in to bat, the first four of their batters scoring just one run among them.

The crisis prompted an outstanding fighting innings from Costa Zhou, who counterattacked superbly, scoring 53 off 45 balls with four sixes and two fours, but apart from Gratitude Jaya with 18 his team-mates could do little to help him.

Frank Mwazviita finished off the innings for a total of 91, and without Zhou that score does not bear thinking off.

Mhlanga took three wickets for 18, Mugeri two for 28 and Mwazviita four for 27.

Westside began their own innings badly, with their first four wickets going down for 26, three of them to Tatenda Murove for nine runs.

However, Scorpions’ hopes of an incredible victory were scotched by Kevin Kasuza, who scored 29, and Prosper Mugeri with 34 not out ensured that Westside completed a victory by four wickets.

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Bulawayo Athletic Club – 108 all out in 34.1 overs (Vitalis Buwu 30, Bryan Tsongora 21, Brandon James 14; Ryan Simbi 4/16, Keith Jaure 4/23, Faraz Akram 1/17)

Takashinga Patriots 2 – 110-3 in 20 overs (Baxon Gopito 45, Prince Masvaure 21*, Rodney Mupfudza 18; Thamsanqa Nunu 1/17, Ruvimbo Mumbire 1/18, Brandon James 1/21)

Takashinga Patriots 2 won by seven wickets

Four-wicket hauls by Ryan Simbi and Keith Jaure for Takashinga Patriots 2 played the major part in taking them to a simple seven-wicket victory over Bulawayo Athletic Club in their NPL match at Kwekwe Sports Club on Thursday.

BAC reached 61 with only two wickets down, thanks to innings of 30 from Vitalis Buwu and 21 from Bryan Tsongora, but then Simbi broke through the middle order and Jaure finished off the tail for a total of 108 in 34.1 overs.

Simbi took his four wickets for 16 runs, while Jaure conceded 23.

Baxon Gopito gave Takashinga a good start when they went in, scoring an aggressive 45 off 39 balls.

With Rodney Mupfudza making 18 and Prince Masvaure 21 not out, victory was achieved in exactly 20 overs.

 

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