Pro50 Championship Preview: Eagles host Tuskers in top-of-the-table clash

Eagles and Tuskers will meet at Harare Sports Club this Friday in what could well be a preview of the eventual Pro50 Championship final scheduled for next week.

Both teams are unbeaten, as their previous encounter was washed out by rain, and in the current dry spell one of the two is almost certain to taste defeat for the first time in the List A competition this season.

Eagles are favourites to win though, as they have been the virtual kings of one-day cricket for several seasons now.

Tuskers have caused surprise so far in this competition as they made such a weak showing in the four-day Logan Cup, where they finished bottom of the log without a victory to their credit.

Eagles finished third in the Logan Cup, though, and it is notable that the two bottom Logan Cup teams are at the top of the Pro50 Championship standings.

Both teams are coming off back-to-back victories last weekend, when Eagles twice beat Mountaineers, the Logan Cup champions, in Mutare, while Tuskers won both their matches against Rhinos in Bulawayo.

The form batsman for Eagles right now is Regis Chakabva, who scored a century and a fifty in Mutare to play the main part in both his team’s victories there.

Elton Chigumbura has shown inconsistent form recently, but when he has been good, he has been very good, and will obviously be a major threat for Tuskers.

The big-hitting opening batsman, Cephas Zhuwao, enjoys this competition, but so far he has not made a big score in this season’s matches, so he will be very keen to put that right.

Of the bowlers the surprise package this season has been the medium-pacer Chamu Chibhabha, who has obviously been working well on his skills and accuracy, and is perhaps still underestimated by opponents.

The left-arm seamer Richard Ngarava has bowled very well at times, while the newcomer Daniel Jakiel, with his unusual action, took good wickets in Mutare, though he tended to be expensive.

Eagles had a good all-round team and, at the head of the table, are almost certainties for next week’s final.

Tuskers do not have the same depth as Eagles, but they have benefited greatly from the return of all-rounder Sean Williams after playing in the Bangladesh Premier League.

Craig Ervine is another pillar of the batting who will be fighting for his place in the national one-day team, while Cunningham Ncube and Charles Kunje both played outstanding innings last week when they were most needed.

They have a good all-round attack, spearheaded by Chris Mpofu, although they were helped by bowling on their home pitch at Queens Sports Club.

Ainsley Ndlovu has made great progress this season as a left-arm spinner, while John Nyumbu’s experience has often proved valuable.

The two bottom teams, Rhinos and Mountaineers, will meet in Kwekwe, and both will need to win all their remaining matches to win a place in the final — so the loser of Friday’s match will be out of contention.

For Mountaineers, after winning the Logan Cup so handsomely, it would be a bitter pill to swallow if they fail to make the one-day final, but after three defeats their chances are slim.

They had the worst of the luck in their one-run defeat by Eagles last Sunday, but they took it in true sporting fashion, refusing to make excuses or complaints, as they so easily could have done.

In Hamilton Masakadza and Tendai Chatara they have two outstanding players who are still recovering from injury, but hope to be fit to play.

Roy Kaia has been their top Pro50 Championship run-scorer so far, and also bowled useful off-breaks, while Donald Tiripano and Shingi Masakadza are two players capable of vital all-round performances.

Timycen Maruma was the top Logan Cup batsman, but he has not yet made a big contribution in the one-day matches, and this fine competitor will want to put that right.

Other bowlers who are major franchise players are the pacy Victor Nyauchi, the cunning leg-spinner Natsai M’shangwe and the economical left-arm spinner Wellington Masakadza.

Rhinos also have a very powerful team, although they have been handicapped by the absence of such top players as Brendan Taylor and Graeme Cremer.

However, they have acquired the services of Ryan Burl, and have enjoyed good performances from PJ Moor and Prince Masvaure.

They have an ideal opening partnership for one-day cricket in Bothwell Chapungu and Tarisai Musakanda, but they have not yet clicked in this competition — a good start from these two powerful hitters would swing any match very quickly.

Rhinos have a very good bowling line-up, spearheaded by Kyle Jarvis, Neville Madziva and Carl Mumba, while spin is handled by the promising Brandon Mavuta and the accurate Tendai Chisoro.

On Sunday, Eagles will move to Kwekwe to play Rhinos, while Mountaineers face Tuskers at Takashinga.

The one outstanding fixture after that is the abandoned match from last December, between Mountaineers and Tuskers, so they will in effect be playing a double-header.

The final next week will almost certainly include Eagles, while Tuskers have a head start on the two remaining teams, who look stronger on paper than the Bulawayo-based side.

Pro50 Championship Points Table

Pro50 Championship Fixtures

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