By Tendai Chisiri
Gladiators – 270 all out in 43.4 overs (Wessly Madhevere 117, Malcom Chikuhwa 48*, Tony Munyonga 43; Tapiwa Mufudza 3/48, Roy Kaia 2/39, Tanaka Chivanga 2/54)
Takashinga Patriots 1 – 272-7 in 44.1 overs (Roy Kaia 57, Innocent Kaia 52, Hamilton Masakadza 43; Cromen Zinyama 3/64, Munashe Zata 2/21, Milton Shumba 1/37)
Takashinga Patriots 1 won by three wickets
Takashinga Patriots 1 clinched the National Premier League (NPL) title on Wednesday after beating Gladiators by three wickets in a nail-biting finale to the most thrilling club championship battle in years.
Whether it was just a happy coincidence or due to brilliant foresight from the planners of the tournament, it so happened that the final round of matches had two fixtures involving the top four teams on the points table, with all of them still in contention for the honours.
Ultimately, three of them – Takashinga Patriots 1, Uprising and Gladiators – finished equal on points, 110, and the Highfield-based side claimed the title thanks to a superior head-to-head record.
In this match, played at Old Hararians, Takashinga had the good fortune to win the toss and put Gladiators in to bat.
Although Gladiators soon lost a wicket, Wessly Madhevere was in dazzling form, and with the assistance of Tony Munyonga, who scored 43 off 41 balls, the pair put on 101 runs for the second wicket.
Madhevere went on to make 117 off only 101 balls, with a six and 14 fours.
However, the inconsistency of the later batters probably cost them the match in the end, as six of them were all dismissed for single figures, and only Clive Madande with 28 and Malcom Chikuhwa with 48 not out were able to make runs.
The final total was 270 all out, with eight deliveries left unused when the last wicket fell.
Tapiwa Mufudza with three wickets for 48 runs was as usual the most successful bowler.
Takashinga did not have an easy task against the efficient Gladiators bowling, but their top six all came good in batting consistently.
There was no Madhevere among them, but the Kaia cousins, Innocent (52 off 80 balls) and the more aggressive Roy (57 off 59) both scored fifties and kept Takashinga in the hunt throughout.
When both were out in quick succession, Hamilton Masakadza was the man who did most to ensure victory, hitting a fine 43 off 34 balls only to be out just short of victory.
The seven top batters were all gone for 262, and defeat was still possible, but in the final stretch Cunningham Ncube with seven and Tanaka Chivanga with six, both not out, got Takashinga home safely and just in time.
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Uprising – 230 all out in 43.3 overs (Brian Bennet 65, Tadiwanashe Marumani 37, Ryan Kamwemba 29; Cuthbert Musoko 4/61, Daich Nyandoro 3/57, Takudzwa Chataira 2/30)
Takashinga Patriots 2 – 188 all out in 36.4 overs (Alvin Chiradza 47, Rodney Mupfudza 40, Knowledge Kaia 24; Takunda Manyama 3/20, Ryan Burl 2/25, Victor Nyauchi 2/37)
Uprising won by 42 runs
Takashinga Patriots 2 blew a golden opportunity to claim the NPL title when they went down to Uprising by 42 runs on Wednesday.
The only fifty of the match, from Brian Bennett, was the main factor in Uprising’s victory in a well-fought match on the Takashinga home ground.
Uprising were put in to bat, and Bennett came in at 64 for two after a good stand between Ryan Kamwemba (29) and Tadiwanashe Marumani (37).
He played a steady innings of 65 off 75 balls, with two sixes and three fours, to take the final score to a rather moderate 230 all out in the 44th over.
Cuthbert Musoko was the most successful bowler with four wickets, but he was rather expensive with 61 runs scored off his nine overs.
Takashinga enjoyed some steady early batting, with the best coming from Rodney Mupfudza (40) and Alvin Chiradza (47), who put on 57 for the fourth wicket, before falling at 130.
At this point Takashinga appeared to have a slight advantage, but although Prince Masvaure scored 21, the later batters fell away against the bowling mainly of Takunda Manyama and Ryan Burl.
The last five all failed to reach double figures, and the Takashinga challenge faded away with their final total of 188.
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Westside – 196 all out in 33.2 overs (Tinashe Muchawaya 104, Definate Mawadzi 32, Tafadzwa Ngulube 13; Brandon James 4/20, Hugh Bvute 3/23, Taboka Manyalo 2/47)
Bulawayo Athletic Club – 197-6 in 31.3 overs (Brandon James 79*, Nkosana Mpofu 32, Vitalis Buwu 14; Vincent Masekesa 3/47, Prosper Mugeri 2/34, Tinashe Muchawaya 1/20)
Bulawayo Athletic Club won by four wickets
A match-winning innings of 79 not out by Brandon James enabled Bulawayo Athletic Club to chase down the Westside score of 196 with four wickets to spare at Masvingo Sports Club.
The Westside innings, after they were put in to bat, was largely a one-man show, as Tinashe Muchawaya hit a brilliant 104 off 82 balls from number six, with eight sixes and six fours.
The only other batter to do much was the opener Definate Mawadzi with 32.
James was also the leading bowler for BAC, taking four wickets for 20 runs in eight overs.
BAC began their reply consistently, with the opener Nkosana Mpofu scoring 32, but wickets fell steadily and it needed James to hold the innings together.
He held the strike skilfully towards the end and took his team home safely in the 32nd over, having faced 70 balls and hit two sixes and 11 fours.
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Mutare Sports Club – 211 all out in 42 overs (Donald Tiripano 59*, Spencer Magodo 51, Clive Chitumba 48; Brad Evans 3/32, Johnathan Campbell 3/52, Matthew Campbell 2/38)
Rainbow – 214-5 in 35.1 overs (Johnathan Campbell 79, Richmond Mutumbami 61*, Tino Chiwara 24; Clive Chitumba 2/21, Tatenda Mupunga 2/41, Silent Mujaji 1/42)
Rainbow won by five wickets
Dynamic fifties from Johnathan Campbell and Richmond Mutumbami helped Rainbow to finish the tournament with a good five-wicket victory over Mutare Sports Club in Mutare.
Mutare, who chose the bat, lost two early wickets, but were revived by the batting of Clive Chitumba (48) and Spencer Magodo (51), who took the score to 94 before the third wicket fell.
After Magodo was fourth out at 134, the tail failed badly, and only an unbeaten innings of 59 by Donald Tiripano took the score past 200 – he did have valuable help from the last man, Silent Mujaji, who scored 11 of a last-wicket partnership of 44.
Brad Evans and Johnathan Campbell took three wickets each
Rainbow were in trouble at 66 for four wickets, but this was when Campbell joined Mutumbami in their match-winning partnership that eventually added 142 runs.
Campbell, the more aggressive, hit 79 off 57 balls, with four sixes and seven four wickets, and was out just four runs short of victory.
Mutumbami had the honour of making the winning hit, a six off Magodo, as he finished with 61 not out off 55 balls, with a six and seven fours.
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Kadoma – 160 all out in 33.4 overs (Tarisai Musakanda 34, Victor Chirwa 24, Lewis Mushaninga 20*; Ronald Masocha 4/35, Abel Chirimuta 2/39, Panashe Mugari 1/16)
Mbizo – 102 all out in 22.4 overs (Clifford Takaedza 53, Walter Matawu 28, Jameson Chikowero 5; Victor Chirwa 6/29, Lewis Mushaninga 4/21)
Kadoma won by 58 runs
A devastating spell of bowling by Victor Chirwa took Kadoma to a 58-run victory over Mbizo after their own poor batting had seemingly put them in danger of defeat.
Kadoma decided to bat on winning the toss, but soon found themselves struggling at 56 for five wickets, three of them falling to Ronald Masocha.
They eventually struggled to 160, with Tarisai Musakanda making the top score of 34 while Masocha finished with four wickets for 37.
Mbizo looked to be on course for victory when Clifford Takaedza scored 53 off 55 balls, helped by Walter Matawu with 28 in an opening partnership of 89.
But after Takadeza was first out, Chirwa swept through the middle order like a bushfire, taking six wickets for 29 runs altogether, helped by Lewis Mushaninga with four for 21.
After being 89 without loss at one stage, Mbizo were left shocked and stunned to be bowled out for 102.
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Queens Sports Club – 182 all out in 44.3 overs (Munashe Chimusoro 48, Tanatswa Bechani 19, Tendai Tapera 17; Elvin Nxumalo 4/27, Jimmy Nyangoni 2/16, Shane Chigumbura 2/49)
Golden Bulls – 30 all out in 11.3 overs (Jimmy Nyangoni 12, Kelvin Mabvute 12, Samuel Muyambo 2; Mgcini Dube 8/10, Isheunopa Musekwa 1/3)
Queens Sports Club won by 152 runs
An even more startling bowling performance came in Queens Sports Club’s 152-run victory over Golden Bulls, with Mgcini Dube taking eight wickets for only 10 runs in 5.3 overs as the latter were bowled out for only 30.
Queens did not bat particularly well on being put in, as they were bowled out for 182, with only Munashe Chimusoro (49) scoring more than 20.
Elvin Nxumalo was the best of the Bulls bowlers with four wickets for 27.
Dube then shattered the Bulls batters – five of his victims were bowled, two lbw and one caught, while he also ran out Marshall Maruta.
Kelvin Mabvute and Jimmy Ngangoni both scored 12, while the other nine batters scored four runs among them.
Their score of 30 was the lowest of the tournament, in which they have been sadly outclassed, and they finished it in the worst possible manner.
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