PRO50 CHAMPIONSHIP: Rocks extend unbeaten run

Southern Rocks – 306-6 in 50 overs (Ben Curran 88, Tadiwanashe Marumani 49, Innocent Kaia 45; John Masara 2/39, Tinashe Muchawaya 1/39, Wellington Masakadza 1/48)

Mountaineers – 296 all out in 49.4 overs (Shingi Masakadza 59, Wellington Masakadza 58, Ben Compton 56; Sikandar Raza 2/50, Blessing Muzarabani 2/53, Nkosilathi Nungu 2/57)

Southern Rocks won by 10 runs

Shingi Masakadza struck a blistering half-century but it was not enough to prevent Southern Rocks from extending their unbeaten run in the Pro50 Championship as they defeated Mountaineers by 10 runs in a thrilling match played at Harare Sports Club on Sunday.

Mountaineers won the toss and soon regretted their decision to put Rocks in to bat.

Innocent Kaia gave Rocks a fine start with a dashing innings of 45 off only 43 balls, before being bowled by Wellington Masakadza in the 14th over with the score at 82 already.

His opening partner, Tadiwanashe Marumani, was not quite as fluent as usual, but he was still doing a good job as he was joined by the Northamptonshire professional Ben Curran.

They took the score to 144 in the 27th over before Marumani was dismissed by John Masara, the seventh bowler tried, for 49 off 72 balls.

Sikandar Raza quickly hit a six and three fours as he made 27 before being caught off Shingi Masakadza, but Gabriel Jaya, on his début for Rocks, was bowled by Masara for two.

Curran and Tafadzwa Tsiga put on 58 in nine overs before Tsiga was caught by Wellington Masakadza off Tinashe Muchawaya for 25 off 30 balls.

Curran had looked poised to score a century, but he soon followed Tsiga, caught off Donald Tiripano for a fine 88 off 96 balls, with five fours, and Rocks were 260 for six in the 46th over.

Richmond Mutumbami, who rarely comes in at No 7, hit out boldly with two sixes and two fours to make 31 not out off 20 balls, helped by Blessing Muzarabani with 11 not out off 12 balls.

They successfully took Rocks past the 300 mark, the final score after 50 overs being 306 for six wickets.

Masara was the only bowler to take as many as two wickets, which he did for 39 runs, while the most economical bowler was Victor Nyauchi, whose eight overs without a wicket cost 39 runs.

Mountaineers had a difficult target to face, and Ben Compton and Gary Chirimuuta made a sound rather than spectacular start, putting up 50 on the board in the 12th over without loss.

They took the score to 79 after 18 overs before Chirimuuta went for 39 off 56 balls, caught off the spin of Raza.

The score reached 131 in the 28th over before Rocks could break through again, with Dylan Hondo then bowling Compton for 56, scored off 86 balls.

Tony Munyonga for once failed, caught and bowled by Raza for three, but Kudzai Sauramba joined Wellington Masakadza and they added 64 together for the fourth wicket.

The one problem was that they struggled to keep up with the required run rate, and when Wellington Masakadza was finally caught at the wicket by Tsiga for 58 off Hondo at 204 in the 40th over, a rate of 10 runs an over was needed.

Donald Tiripano (2) and Sauramba (39) were soon out, making the score 212 for six in the 42nd over, and more than 10 an over now required from the last four wickets.

Despite facing such a demanding run rate, Shingi Masakadza and Nyauchi tried their best, throwing their bats gallantly at the bowling.

Shingi Masakadza hit two sixes and Nyauchi one, and 47 were needed off the last four overs.

At 267 Nyauchi (16) lofted a catch off Nkosi Nungu, and it was all up to Shingi Masakadza, who hit Nungu for two sixes, so 28 were needed off the final two overs.

Shingi Masakadza hit two fours off the next over, but was finally caught at the wicket off Muzarabani for 59, which contained four sixes and four fours off only 28 balls.

PJ Moor, who had been injured in the field, came in last, but he was caught off Nungu for four with the total on 296, and Rocks had triumphed again.

Muzarabani, Nungu, Hondo and Raza all took two wickets each and no bowler was hit for more than seven an over, so once again it was a fine team performance that contributed towards victory.