Men’s Domestic T20 Day 4: Mountaineers on the brink of reaching final

Southern Rocks – 121-8 in 18 overs (Tadiwanashe Marumani 24, Innocent Kaia 24, Cephas Zhuwao 21; Victor Nyauchi 3/16, Wellington Masakadza 3/25, John Masara 1/23)

Mountaineers – 60-3 in 7 overs (Kevin Kasuza 29, Tony Munyonga 14*, Wellington Masakadza 5*; Cuthbert Musoko 1/7, Sydney Murombo 1/7, Nkosilathi Nungu 1/16)

Mountaineers won by 13 runs (Duckworth-Lewis method) 

A fluent innings of 29 by Mountaineers opening batter Kevin Kasuza proved to be the vital factor in his team’s Duckworth-Lewis victory by 13 runs over Southern Rocks at Old Hararians on Monday.

Rocks chose, unusually in T20 cricket, to bat first in what was also reduced to an 18-over contest, but they failed to make the most of it.

Although they batted quite consistently, with six men reaching double figures, not one of them reached 25 and played the major innings that is usually necessary for a big score.

Cephas Zhuwao faced just nine balls, hitting a six and three fours in scoring 21 runs, but was then cut off when Tendai Chatara caught him off the bowling of Victor Nyauchi.

Innocent Kaia and Tadiwanashe Marumani both scored 24, but after pair was out at 72 for three in the eighth over, the remaining batters could make only 49 more runs in the last 10 overs.

Richmond Mutumbami was the best of these with 15 off 12 balls, and the final total was 121 for eight wickets.

Nyauchi was again their best bowler, taking three wickets for 16 in his three overs, while Wellington Masakadza took three for 25 in four.

When Mountaineers batted, Kasuza was out of the blocks immediately, playing some brilliant attacking strokes, so after four overs the score, helped by eight extras, was 40 for two wickets, of which Kasuza had 26 off 16 balls.

But two wickets had also fallen at that stage, PJ Moor being caught at the wicket for one and Spencer Magodo out for three.

At 53 Kasuza went, bowled by Sydney Murombo for 29 off 23 balls, but Tony Munyonga and Wellington Masakadza took six runs off the next four balls – at which point the umpires took the players from the field for bad light.

They were never able to return, and so Mountaineers were declared winners on the back of Kasuza’s little cameo.

This keeps them on top of the tournament table, having won all three of their matches so far.

2021/22 DOMESTIC T20 COMPETITION POINTS TABLE

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