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Southerns – 182 all out in 40.4 overs (Tafadzwa Tsiga 55, Tinashe Kamunhukamwe 49, Tony Munyonga 21; Faraz Akram 3/16, Tapiwa Mufudza 3/39, Donald Tiripano 2/25)
Northerns – 178-4 in 34 overs (Sikandar Raza 60, Innocent Kaia 46, Brian Bennett 40*; Carl Mumba 2/27, Wellington Masakadza 1/23, Jalat Khan 1/35)
Northerns won by six wickets (Duckworth-Lewis method)
A fine medium-paced bowling performance by Faraz Akram gave the Northerns team an advantage they never lost as they went on to defeat Southerns by six wickets on Duckworth-Lewis calculations in this regional one-dayer played at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo on Thursday.
A delayed start due to a wet outfield meant a slight reduction to 48 overs per side.
Northerns won the toss and put their opponents in to bat.
Akram was soon in action, dismissing the opening batter Takudzwanaishe Kaitano, caught by his captain Sikandar Raza in the slips for nine in the sixth over.
In the 10th he had Prince Masvaure out in the same way, and with his next delivery Nick Welch was lbw to leave Southerns reeling at 22 for three.
Tinashe Kamunhukamwe continued to attack and scored 49 off 62 balls before Tapiwa Mufudza had him lbw.
Tafadzwa Tsiga also settled in well, and when the score reached 141 for five in the 32nd over it seemed as though Southerns were recovering after all.
But at this point Tony Munyonga (21) drove a catch off Mufudza to Akram at long-off, and after that Tsiga fought almost a lone battle.
He was eventually ninth out to a return catch by Raza, having scored 55 off 69 balls, and the final total was 182 off 40.4 overs.
Akram in his destructive opening spell of six overs had taken three wickets for 16 runs, while Mufudza had three for 39 off his full 10.
Further rain adjusted the Northerns target to 173 from 43 overs.
Carl Mumba struck quite early, dismissing Joylord Gumbie for 12 and the new man Brian Chari two balls later, both caught by Tsiga behind the stumps, to make the score 30 for two.
Innocent Kaia played a fine innings of 46 off 61 balls, though, and Brian Bennett provided a steady partner.
Raza then came in and quickly put the result beyond doubt, pulverising the bowling to make 60 off 38 balls, with four sixes and five fours.
Milton Shumba sealed the victory in style, lofting Roy Kaia to long off for a six that took his own score to 14 not out and the Northerns total to 178 four wickets in 34 overs.
Bennett finished with 40 not out, while Mumba was the best of the bowlers with two for 27 off seven overs.
The two sides will meet again in the second and final match at the same venue on Saturday.
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