#NPL2024: Musekiwa, Chitumba big centuries light up Sunday action

Takashinga 1 282/7 in 45 overs (Tinashe Kamunhukamwe 74, Muhammad Zaheer Tufail 60, Bryna Majoka 49; Arineshto Vhezha 2-59, Takunda Manyama 2-67)

Strikers 89 on 24.1 overs (Tashinga Makoni 39, Villan Changa 39; Tapiwa Mufudza 5-15, Priviledge Chesa 3-39)

Takashinga 1 won by 193 runs

Tapiwa Mufudza presented a devastating spell of spin bowling to lead Takashinga 1 to a 193-run win over Strikers in a National Premier League (NPL) match at Takashinga Cricket Club on Sunday.

In a devastating six overs, he took five wickets, conceding four runs and afforded himself three maidens to boot.

Priviledge Chesa played the able deputy, taking thee of his own for 39, while Munashe Chipara and Nigel Mupurura took one each.

Strikers failed to find refuge against a Takashinga 1 side missing eight payers with Test and Zimbabwe ‘A’ side.

Only Tashinga Makoni, with 39, and Villan Changa, who lent 21 to the cause, provided any resistance, leading to individual double scores.

Earlier, Takashinga 1 made 282 for seven, bootstrapped by Tinashe Kamnhukamwe’s 46-ball 74 at the top, with Muhammad Zaheer Tufail also putting 60 off 50 in the middle.

It probably made the 49 off 80 by Bryn Majoka sound pedestrian, but ultimately, it was many more runs than Takashinga needed to record the win.

Rimuka 364/4 in 45 overs (Tashinga Musekiwa 191*, Takudzwanaishe Kaitano 78, Brandon Mavuta 58; Tariro Kapungu 2-65, Praise Makaza 1-56, Nkosilathi Nungu 1-79)

Scorpions 185/9 in 31.3 overs (Praise Makaza 34, Tafadzwa Mahachi 32, Gabriel Jaya 31; Victor Chirwa 5-48, Brandon Mavuta 2-47)

Rimuka Cricket Club won by 178 runs

Tashinga Musekiwa’s unbeaten 191 was the talk of the day in Rimuka’s 178-run win over Scorpions at Old Hararians.

He got there in 120 balls, 19 them fours and nine sixes to boot.

Musekiwa, recently back from injury, ran out of balls nine short of the competition record 200 set by teammate Takudzwanaishe Kaitano against another Masvingo side, Knights, on Wednesday.

Kaitano himself led with a 72-ball 78 before he was sent back to the changing room by Praise Makaza.

With the score 146 for three, no one was ready for what came next.

Musekiwa and Brandon Mavuta combined for 198 in 22.2 overs, with Scorpions unable to provide answers for the relentless hitting.

When Mavuta fell to Nkosilathi Nungu, there were 11 balls left in the innings.

Musekiwa scored 18 off the eight he faced.

Scorpions, for their part, quickly found themselves 33 for three, Mavuta taking two of those.

Tafadzwa Mahachi and Gabriel Jaya inched the dial forward with a combined 69 but there was always too much to chase.

Westside 377/5 in 45 overs (Clive Chitumba 173, Definate Mawadzi 47, Tariro Makauyo 39; Francis Sande 2-50)

Rainbow 279/9 in 45 overs (Clive Imbayago 106, Francis Sande 58*; Fortune Mhlanga 4-58)

Westside Cricket Club won by 98 runs

Opener Clive Chitumba’s 173 with the blade was the difference in Westside’s victory against Rainbow at Mutare Sports Club.

That none of his teammates got to 50 was a testament to a player seeing it like beachball to display some spectacular striking.

He skewed the opposition with a deadly combination of precision and bludgeon to lead his side to an above-par score.

Only Munashe Chipoyi went at a respectable 5.11 economy, while four bowlers were at over 10 per over.

In response, Rainbow showed commitment to a losing cause.

Clive Imbayago collected his second century of the season, a 106 off 109 balls and Francis Sande made an unbeaten 58.

The team made 279 for nine, a total good enough to win most matches.

Westside have now won six in a row.

Bulawayo Athletic Club 170 in 40.2 overs (Tanaka Mtomba 51, Brandon James 34; Malcolm Chikuhwa 3-17, Muanshe Zata 3-30, Ashley Mufandauya 2-39)

Gladiators 172/3 in 25.2 overs (Saleem Nihute 49*, Lennox Chando 4, Ashley Mufandauya 34; taboka Manyalo 1-10, Mlungisi Ndlovu 1-23, Calvin Watuwa 1-43)

Gladiators Cricket Club won by 7 wickets

Gladiators bounced back to winning fashion in quick-fast fashion, beating Bulawayo Athletic Club (BAC) by seven wickets at Kwekwe Sports Club.

Smarting from a surprise Mbizo loss on Wednesday, the Chitungwiza boys ruthlessly dismissed BAC for 170.

Player-coach Malcolm Chikuhwa conceded 17 runs in nine overs, taking three wickets to boot.

Munashe Zata showed great value with three for 40, taking part in removing the top four cheaply.

Tanaka Mtomba and Ugandan import Pascal Muringi did put on 58 for the sixth wicket until Gladiators captain Ashley Mufandauya broke that partnership.

Muringi caught behind for 29.

Partnerships were hard to get going after that, and once Mtomba was dismissed by Tanaka Matimbe, the writing was on the wall for the innings.

After Munyaradzi Chingoruma fell early for Gladiators on 11 after 1.2 overs, it looked like a surprise was in order.

They, however, stacked together the partnerships, anchored by Saleem Nihute, who made an unbeaten 49.

Lennox Chando joined him for a second-wicket 62 before Taboka Manyalo removed him for 41.

The third wicket with Panashe Taruvinga yielded 48 before he departed for 22, Calvina Watuwa taking that wicket.

Mufandauya played an unbeaten 34 off 20 to wrap up the match. He put on 52 with Nihute.

Queens 136 in 35.1 overs (Rowyn Konson 29, Ian Fuzane 24; Prince Kaunda 4-26, Raymond Kasimo 2-29)

Amakhosi 140/7 in 27.3 overs (Raymond Kasimo 34*, Ernest Masuku 31; Vusi Kasipani 2-20, Tanatswa Bechani 2-23, Chris Mpofu 2-46)

Amakhosi Cricket Club won by 3 wickets

Amakhosi beat Queens by three wickets in a Bulawayo derby at Queens Sports Club.

Raymond Kasimo was brilliant with bat and ball.

His four for 26 was key to limiting the fancier Queens to 136 all out in just 35.1 overs.

He was also involved in the run-out of Queens top-scorer Rowyn Konson for 29.

Kasimo then returned to guide his side home with an unbeaten 34 to make sure the bragging rights went to Emakhandeni.

2024 National Premier League table

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