Zimbabwe: Rocks Fall for the First Time

By Eddie Chikamhi, Senior Sports Reporter

Southern Rocks suffered their first defeat in this year's domestic Pro50 Cricket Championship at the hands of Mountaineers at Harare Sports Club on Wednesday.

The Masvingo outfit's proud run came to an end following an eight-wicket loss in the last game of the round robin campaign. They had gone seven matches unbeaten prior to the encounter.

The defeat, however did not account for much as they have since sealed their place in the final with an unassailable tally of 65 points, thanks to their 10-runs win over Mountaineers in the reverse fixture played at Takashinga Sports Club last weekend.

But the Mutare side got a good measure of revenge when they dismissed Rocks to their lowest total of 131 runs this season.

Tendai Chatara was the destroyer-in-chief with three scalps to his name. Donald Tiripano, Wellington Masakadza and Tony Munyonga had two wickets apiece as Rocks crumbled inside 37 overs.

This was their worst performance with the bat this season. Previously, their lowest total had been the 151 runs scored against Tuskers, although they successfully defended that score and claimed a nine-run win over the Bulawayo outfit at their Masvingo Sports Club home ground.

But the script took a different tone this time. Wickets fell at every turn on Wednesday against Mountaineers, who are fighting hard for the remaining ticket to the final.

It could have been worse for Rocks following an unexpected collapse that saw both the top order and middle order failing to hold.

The promising opening wicket partnership of Tadiwanashe Marumani (16) and Brian Mudzinganyama (16) fell to successive balls from Victor Nyauchi and Tendai Chatara between the end of the sixth and the start of the seventh over.

No other batsman scored better apart from William Mashinge who top-scored with an unbeaten 41 runs in the lower middle order.

Mountaineers cruised to a comfortable win with their captain Kevin Kasuza (43) and overseas player Ben Compton (45) laying a solid foundation for the chase. Compton is the cousin of former England batsman Nick Compton, who played for Eagles a decade ago.

The opening pair put on 64 runs before Kasuza fell to Mashinge. Then Compton was stumped by Tafadzwa Tsiga off the bowling of Sikandar Raza to leave Mountaineers on 125/2.

Kudzai Sauramba (31) and new batsman Timycen Maruma (1) saw the team over the line with 167 balls remaining.

Rocks have 65 points at the end of their eight round robin matches. They have six wins, one loss and have five points from their game against Eagles which was abandoned without a ball bowled because of a water-logged outfield.

Mountaineers cemented their place in second place with the win over Rocks. They now have 40 points from six games. They have two games remaining and can only take their maximum tally to 60 points if they win both.

The Mutare outfit have a game against Eagles today at Harare Sports Club. Eagles are still in with a strong shout. They claimed back-to-back wins over bottom-of-the-table side Rhinos this week to land on 35 points.

Mountaineers and Eagles will face each other again on Sunday to wind up the round robin games. Tuskers and Rhinos also have back-to-back encounters which could determine candidates for the third-place play-offs. The Pro50 Championship final and third place play-off will take next Tuesday in Harare.

Fixtures

Today: Mountaineers v Alliance Health Eagles (Harare Sports Club); Rhinos v Tuskers Old Hararians)

Sunday: Alliance Health Eagles v Mountaineers (Harare Sports Club); Rhinos v Tuskers (Old Hararians)

This article originally appeared on The Herald

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